JP2007294907A - Method and aparatus of coating machine, method and apparatus of coating, and method of manufacturing member of liquid crystal display - Google Patents

Method and aparatus of coating machine, method and apparatus of coating, and method of manufacturing member of liquid crystal display Download PDF

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JP2007294907A
JP2007294907A JP2007072391A JP2007072391A JP2007294907A JP 2007294907 A JP2007294907 A JP 2007294907A JP 2007072391 A JP2007072391 A JP 2007072391A JP 2007072391 A JP2007072391 A JP 2007072391A JP 2007294907 A JP2007294907 A JP 2007294907A
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cleaning
gas
applicator
cleaning liquid
liquid
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JP2007294907A5 (en
JP4985007B2 (en
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Yoshiyuki Kitamura
義之 北村
Eizo Kanetani
英三 金谷
Yoshinori Tani
義則 谷
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Toray Industries Inc
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Toray Industries Inc
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Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of manufacturing a member of a liquid crystal display which is capable of sufficient cleaning, even if a cleaning liquid and a gas are spouted at the same time, and which allows enhancement of cleaning efficiency, by appropriately positioning spout openings of the cleaning liquid and spout openings of the gas, so that due to these effects, the member of a liquid crystal display can be manufactured with high quality and at low cost. <P>SOLUTION: The method of cleaning a coating machine for cleaning at least a discharge opening face of the coating machine, provided with discharge openings which extend or are aligned in the longitudinal direction to discharge coating liquids and a face adjacent to the discharge opening face (these faces are generically called face to be cleaned). The method comprises a step of arranging a cleaning device which has a plurality of outflow openings of cleaning liquid, and a gas-spouting device which has a plurality of gas spout openings, to align in the longitudinal direction of the coating machine; and supplying the cleaning liquid from the cleaning device toward an adjacent face, and subsequently spouting a gas from the gas spouting device to the adjacent face, while driving the cleaning device and gas spouting device to sweep in the longitudinal direction, thereby performing cleaning of the face to be cleaned. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

この発明は、例えばカラー液晶ディスプレイ用カラーフィルタやＴＦＴ用アレイ基板等の液晶ディスプレイ用部材を製造する分野に主として使用されるものであり、詳しくはガラス基板などの被塗布部材表面に塗布液を吐出して均一な塗布膜を形成する塗布器の洗浄方法及び洗浄装置並びに液晶ディスプレイ用部材の製造方法の改良に関する。   The present invention is mainly used in the field of manufacturing liquid crystal display members such as color filters for color liquid crystal displays and array substrates for TFTs. Specifically, a coating liquid is discharged onto the surface of a member to be coated such as a glass substrate. The present invention relates to an improved applicator cleaning method and apparatus for forming a uniform coating film and a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display member.

カラー液晶用ディスプレイは、カラーフィルタ、ＴＦＴ用アレイ基板などにより構成されているが、カラーフィルタ、ＴＦＴ用アレイ基板ともに、低粘度の液体材料を塗布して乾燥させ、塗布膜を形成する製造工程が多く含まれている。たとえば、カラーフィルタの製造工程では、ガラス基板上に黒色のフォトレジスト材の塗布膜を形成し、フォトリソ法により塗布膜を格子状に加工した後に、格子間に赤色、青色、緑色のフォトレジスト材の塗布膜を同様の手法により順次形成していく。その他にも、フォトレジスト材を塗布して塗布膜を形成後、カラーフィルタとＴＦＴ用アレイ基板との間に注入される液晶のスペースを確保する柱を形成したり、カラーフィルタ上の表面の凹凸を平滑化するためのオーバーコート塗布膜を形成する製造工程などもある。   A color liquid crystal display is composed of a color filter, a TFT array substrate, and the like. However, both the color filter and the TFT array substrate have a manufacturing process in which a low-viscosity liquid material is applied and dried to form a coating film. Many are included. For example, in a color filter manufacturing process, a black photoresist material coating film is formed on a glass substrate, and the coating film is processed into a lattice shape by a photolithographic method, and then red, blue, and green photoresist materials are formed between the lattices. These coating films are sequentially formed by the same method. In addition, after applying a photoresist material to form a coating film, a column that secures a space for liquid crystal to be injected between the color filter and the TFT array substrate is formed, or surface irregularities on the color filter are formed. There is also a manufacturing process for forming an overcoat coating film for smoothing.

この塗布膜形成のための塗布装置としては、従来スピナー、バーコータなどが使用されていたが、塗布液の消費量削減や消費電力削減、さらに塗布基板大型化に伴う装置の大型化が困難であることなどにより、近年に至ってスリットコータ（例えば特許文献１）の使用が増加してきている。この公知のスリットコータは塗布ヘッドとしてスリットノズルを有し、このスリットノズルに設けられたスリット状の吐出口から塗布液を吐出しながら、一方向に走行するガラス基板などの枚葉状の被塗布部材に塗布膜を形成するものとなっている。   Conventionally, spinners, bar coaters, and the like have been used as coating devices for forming the coating film. However, it is difficult to reduce the consumption of coating liquid and power consumption, and to increase the size of the device due to the increase in the size of the coating substrate. For this reason, the use of slit coaters (for example, Patent Document 1) has increased in recent years. This known slit coater has a slit nozzle as a coating head, and a sheet-like coated member such as a glass substrate that travels in one direction while discharging a coating liquid from a slit-shaped discharge port provided in the slit nozzle. A coating film is formed on the substrate.

このスリットコータを使用して、ガラス基板に多数枚にわたって塗布を行う場合、使用する塗布液が感光性アクリル系ＲＧＢ用ペースト、フォトレジスト等の揮発性の高いものであると、スリットノズルの吐出口付近に付着した塗布液が乾燥して容易に固化物となり、これが塗布液の吐出を妨げてスジむらなどの塗布欠点が発生することがある。さらにはなはだしい場合には、固化物が大きくなって塗布膜面に落下し、パーティクル欠点となることもある。   When this slit coater is used to apply a large number of sheets to a glass substrate, if the coating liquid used is highly volatile, such as a photosensitive acrylic RGB paste, a photoresist, etc., the slit nozzle discharge port The coating liquid adhering to the vicinity is dried and easily becomes a solidified product, which may hinder the discharge of the coating liquid and cause coating defects such as uneven stripes. Furthermore, in a severe case, the solidified product may become large and fall on the coating film surface, resulting in particle defects.

以上の不都合を回避するために、一定枚数の塗布を行う毎に洗浄液でスリットノズルの吐出口付近を洗浄し、上記の固化物を除去することが行われている。代表的なものは、スリットノズルの全長よりもはるかに短い洗浄液の吐出ノズルから、スリットノズルの先端部に向けて洗浄液を水平方向に噴射しながら吐出ノズルをスリットノズルの長手方向に何回か走査させて洗浄を行うものである（例えば特許文献２）。これを改良して、洗浄液の吐出ノズルとガスの噴射ノズルを上下方向に同位相で配置した洗浄装置をスリットノズルに近接させ、スリットノズルの先端部に向けて洗浄液のみを噴射しながら洗浄装置をスリットノズルの長手方向に何回か走査させて洗浄後、窒素ガス、エアー等のガスのみをスリットノズルの先端部に同じように噴射しながら走査させて、残存する洗浄液を除去して乾燥させるものもある。（例えば特許文献３）。この特許文献では、さらにスリットノズルの先端部の広範囲にわたって洗浄するために、スリットノズルの長手方向に同位相に配置された洗浄液の吐出ノズルとガスの噴射ノズルを、上下方向に複数の位置に配置させる例も示している。またミスト状の洗浄液と気体を同時に噴出して洗浄を行うものもある（例えば特許文献４）。   In order to avoid the above inconveniences, every time a predetermined number of coatings are performed, the vicinity of the slit nozzle outlet is cleaned with a cleaning liquid to remove the solidified material. Typically, the discharge nozzle is scanned several times in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle while spraying the cleaning liquid horizontally from the discharge nozzle of the cleaning liquid, which is much shorter than the entire length of the slit nozzle, toward the tip of the slit nozzle. Cleaning is performed (for example, Patent Document 2). By improving this, a cleaning device in which the cleaning liquid discharge nozzle and gas injection nozzle are arranged in the same phase in the vertical direction is brought close to the slit nozzle, and the cleaning device is sprayed while spraying only the cleaning liquid toward the tip of the slit nozzle. After cleaning by scanning several times in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle, scanning with only nitrogen gas, air, etc. gas sprayed to the tip of the slit nozzle in the same way, removing the remaining cleaning liquid and drying There is also. (For example, patent document 3). In this patent document, in order to further clean the tip of the slit nozzle over a wide range, the cleaning liquid discharge nozzle and the gas injection nozzle arranged in the same phase in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle are arranged at a plurality of positions in the vertical direction. An example is also shown. In addition, there are some which perform cleaning by jetting mist-like cleaning liquid and gas simultaneously (for example, Patent Document 4).

以上の特許文献２の洗浄液のみで洗浄する手段では洗浄液が残存し、残存した洗浄液がスリットノズルで塗布を行うときにたれ下がってきて塗布膜に混ざり合うために、塗布膜の薄膜化や塗布欠点等の品質不良を引き起こす。特許文献３の手段では、残存する洗浄液がガスによる吹き飛ばしと乾燥によって完全に除去されるので、洗浄液のみで洗浄する場合に生じる不具合はない。しかし洗浄液とガスを別々の走査で吐出するために洗浄時間が余計にかかり、塗布工程のタクトタイムが長くなる不都合がある。洗浄時間を短くするには、洗浄液とガスを同時に噴射すればよいが、これを実施すると、洗浄液がガスと激しく混じり合ってミスト状になり、ミストが残存して特許文献２の手段と同じ不具合を生じる。このような不具合は、ミスト状の洗浄液と気体を同時に使用している特許文献４の手段でも当然ながら発生する。   In the means for cleaning with only the cleaning liquid of Patent Document 2 described above, the cleaning liquid remains, and the remaining cleaning liquid hangs down when it is applied by the slit nozzle and is mixed with the coating film. Cause poor quality. In the means of Patent Document 3, the remaining cleaning liquid is completely removed by blowing off with gas and drying, so there is no problem that occurs when cleaning with only the cleaning liquid. However, since the cleaning liquid and the gas are discharged in separate scans, there is an inconvenience that an extra cleaning time is required and the takt time of the coating process becomes long. In order to shorten the cleaning time, the cleaning liquid and the gas may be sprayed at the same time. However, if this is performed, the cleaning liquid is vigorously mixed with the gas and becomes a mist, and the mist remains and is the same as the means of Patent Document 2. Produce. Such a problem naturally occurs even in the means of Patent Document 4 in which a mist-like cleaning liquid and a gas are simultaneously used.

また洗浄液の吐出ノズルについては、スリット状よりも円形の孔の方が、少ない流量で噴射速度を高くできるので、経済的にも洗浄能力的にも好ましいが、公知の手段ではその配置が適切でないので、十分な洗浄能力を発揮できていない。そのために洗浄液の吐出ノズルの走査回数が少なくできず、これも塗布工程のタクトタイムを長くする要因になっている。
特開平６-３３９６５６号公報（第５欄１８行目〜第８欄１行目、第１０欄９行目〜４３行目、図１、図３、図４） 特開平１１−７４１７９号公報（第５欄１６行目〜第６欄２９行目、第７欄２行目〜３４行目、図３、図５） 特開２００５−２６２１２７号公報（段落００６０〜００６４、段落００８３〜００８９、図４、図１０） 特開２００４−１１３９３４号公報（段落００１８〜００２８、図１、図２、図３） As for the discharge nozzle for the cleaning liquid, a circular hole is more preferable than a slit shape because the injection speed can be increased with a small flow rate. As a result, sufficient cleaning ability cannot be demonstrated. For this reason, the number of scans of the discharge nozzle for the cleaning liquid cannot be reduced, which is also a factor for increasing the takt time of the coating process.
JP-A-6-339656 (5th column 18th line to 8th column 1st line, 10th column 9th line to 43rd line, FIG. 1, FIG. 3, FIG. 4) JP-A-11-74179 (5th column, 16th line to 6th column, 29th line, 7th column, 2nd line to 34th line, FIGS. 3 and 5) JP 2005-262127 A (paragraphs 0060 to 0064, paragraphs 0083 to 0089, FIGS. 4 and 10) JP 2004-113934 A (paragraphs 0018 to 0028, FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3)

本発明は、上述の事情に基づいてなされたもので、その目的とするところは、洗浄液と気体を同時に噴射しても十分な洗浄を可能にするとともに、洗浄液の吐出口と気体の噴出口を適切な位置に配置して洗浄能力を高め、これらの効果によって洗浄の走査回数を少なくして洗浄時間を大幅に短縮することで、塗布工程のタクトタイムを減少して生産性を向上させる塗布器の洗浄方法および洗浄装置を実現させ、塗布器の洗浄性の向上によって高品質の塗布が行える塗布方法および塗布装置を提供するとともに、さらに塗布工程の生産性と洗浄能力および塗布品質の向上により、低コストで高品質の液晶ディスプレイ用部材を製造できる液晶ディスプレイ用部材の製造方法を提供することにある。   The present invention has been made on the basis of the above-mentioned circumstances. The object of the present invention is to enable sufficient cleaning even when the cleaning liquid and the gas are simultaneously injected, and to provide a cleaning liquid discharge port and a gas discharge port. An applicator that improves productivity by reducing the number of tact times in the coating process by significantly reducing the cleaning time by reducing the number of cleaning scans due to these effects, improving the cleaning performance by placing it in an appropriate position. In addition to providing a coating method and a coating apparatus capable of performing high quality coating by improving the cleaning performance of the applicator, and further improving the productivity and cleaning ability of the coating process and coating quality, An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a liquid crystal display member capable of producing a high quality liquid crystal display member at low cost.

上記本発明の目的は、以下に述べる手段によって達成される。   The object of the present invention is achieved by the means described below.

本発明になる塗布器の洗浄方法は、長手方向に延在または配列された塗液を吐出する吐出口を具備した塗布器の少なくとも吐出口面およびそれに隣接する面（以下、これを総称して洗浄面という。）を洗浄する塗布器の洗浄方法であって、複数の洗浄液流出口を有する洗浄機と、複数の気体噴出口を有する気体噴出器を前記塗布器の長手方向に並べて配置するとともに、洗浄機と気体噴出器を長手方向に走査させつつ、洗浄機から隣接面に向けて洗浄液を供給し、続いて前記気体噴出器からに向けて気体を噴出させて、洗浄面の洗浄を行うことを特徴とする。   The applicator cleaning method according to the present invention includes at least a discharge port surface and a surface adjacent thereto (hereinafter collectively referred to as a discharge port surface) of the applicator provided with a discharge port for discharging a coating liquid extending or arranged in the longitudinal direction. A cleaning method of an applicator for cleaning a cleaning surface), wherein a cleaning machine having a plurality of cleaning liquid outlets and a gas jetting device having a plurality of gas jets are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the applicator. The cleaning liquid is supplied from the cleaning machine toward the adjacent surface while the cleaning machine and the gas jetting device are scanned in the longitudinal direction, and then the cleaning surface is cleaned by jetting gas from the gas jetting device. It is characterized by that.

ここで、前記複数の洗浄液流出口及び／または気体噴出口が、千鳥配置されており、少なくとも２つの洗浄液流出口及び／または気体噴出口から洗浄液及び／または気体が、前記隣接面に向けて、異なる吐出角度で吐出されること、前記洗浄機を、洗浄液と気体の両方を同時に吐出しながら、かつ走査方向に対して洗浄液が気体よりも先行して前記塗布器の隣接面に付着するように前記塗布器の長手方向に走査させて洗浄を行う工程を含むこと、が好ましい。   Here, the plurality of cleaning liquid outlets and / or gas jets are arranged in a staggered manner, and the cleaning liquid and / or gas from the at least two cleaning liquid outlets and / or gas jets toward the adjacent surface, It is discharged at different discharge angles, and the cleaning machine discharges both cleaning liquid and gas at the same time, and the cleaning liquid adheres to the adjacent surface of the applicator ahead of the gas in the scanning direction. It is preferable to include a step of performing cleaning by scanning in the longitudinal direction of the applicator.

本発明になる塗布方法は、請求項１に記載の前記洗浄機および気体噴出器用いて塗布器の洗浄面を洗浄してから、塗布器の吐出口から塗布液を吐出し、塗布器の洗浄面に係合する清掃部材を塗布器の長手方向に摺動させて洗浄面の初期化を行い、その後に被塗布部材への塗布を行うことを特徴とする。
本発明になる塗布器の洗浄装置は、長手方向に延在または配列された塗液を吐出する吐出口を具備した塗布器の少なくとも吐出口面およびそれに隣接する面（以下、これを総称して洗浄面という。）を洗浄するために、前記塗布器の長手方向に移動しながら洗浄液を隣接面に供給する複数の洗浄液流出口を有する洗浄機と、気体を噴出する複数の気体噴出口を有する気体噴出器と、を備えた洗浄ヘッドを有する洗浄装置であって、前記洗浄機と気体噴出器は塗布器の長手方向に直列状に並んで配置され、かつ洗浄液と気体が前記隣接面に向けて所定の吐出角度で吐出されるよう前記洗浄液流出口に至る洗浄液流出流路と、気体噴出口に至る気体噴出流路が、吐出角度に応じて水平線に対して傾斜して配置されていることを特徴とする。 The coating method according to the present invention is the cleaning surface of the applicator by discharging the coating liquid from the discharge port of the applicator after cleaning the cleaning surface of the applicator using the cleaning machine and the gas blower according to claim 1. The cleaning member that engages with the coating member is slid in the longitudinal direction of the applicator to initialize the cleaning surface, and thereafter, the application to the member to be coated is performed.
The applicator cleaning device according to the present invention includes at least a discharge port surface and a surface adjacent thereto (hereinafter collectively referred to as a discharge port surface) of the applicator provided with a discharge port for discharging a coating liquid extending or arranged in the longitudinal direction. In order to clean the cleaning surface), the cleaning device has a plurality of cleaning liquid outlets for supplying a cleaning liquid to an adjacent surface while moving in the longitudinal direction of the applicator, and a plurality of gas outlets for ejecting gas. A cleaning device having a cleaning head, wherein the cleaning machine and the gas ejector are arranged in series in the longitudinal direction of the applicator, and the cleaning liquid and the gas are directed toward the adjacent surface. The cleaning liquid outflow passage leading to the cleaning liquid outlet and the gas ejection passage leading to the gas ejection outlet are disposed so as to be inclined with respect to the horizontal line according to the discharge angle. It is characterized by.

ここで、前記洗浄液流出口は洗浄機の同一面上で、また前記気体噴出口は気体噴出器の同一面上で、それぞれ複数個長手方向に配置されているとともに、洗浄機と気体噴出器の最下方部に、除去された洗浄液と気体が通過する排出口が長手方向に伸びるように配置されていること、前記複数の洗浄液流出口及び／または気体噴出口が、千鳥配置されており、少なくとも２つの洗浄液流出口及び／または気体噴出口から洗浄液及び／または気体が、前記隣接面に向けて異なる吐出角度で吐出されるよう、前記洗浄液流出口に至る洗浄液流出流路と、気体噴出口に至る気体噴出流路が、前記吐出角度に応じて水平線に対して傾斜して配置されていること、前記塗布器の長手方向に直列状に並んで配置された前記洗浄機と気体噴出器が一体に構成され、その間に、溝を設けたこと、前記洗浄液と気体の両方を同時に吐出しながら、かつ走査方向に対して洗浄液が気体よりも先行して前記塗布器の隣接面に付着するように洗浄機と気体噴出器を前記塗布器の長手方向に走査させて洗浄を行わせる制御手段をさらに備えること、が好ましい。   Here, a plurality of the cleaning liquid outlets are disposed on the same surface of the cleaning machine, and a plurality of the gas outlets are disposed in the longitudinal direction on the same surface of the gas ejector. The lowermost portion is arranged such that a discharge port through which the removed cleaning liquid and gas pass extends in the longitudinal direction, the plurality of cleaning liquid outlets and / or gas outlets are arranged in a staggered manner, and at least The cleaning liquid outlet and / or the gas from the two cleaning liquid outlets and / or the gas outlet, so that the cleaning liquid and / or gas are discharged at different discharge angles toward the adjacent surface, and the cleaning liquid outlet channel to the cleaning liquid outlet and the gas outlet The gas ejection flow path to be arranged is inclined with respect to the horizontal line according to the discharge angle, and the cleaning machine and the gas ejection device arranged in series in the longitudinal direction of the applicator are integrated. Configured to In addition, a groove is provided between the cleaning machine and the cleaning machine so that the cleaning liquid adheres to the adjacent surface of the applicator in advance of the gas in the scanning direction while discharging both the cleaning liquid and the gas at the same time. It is preferable to further include control means for causing the gas jetter to scan in the longitudinal direction of the applicator to perform cleaning.

本発明になる塗布装置は、塗布液を吐出する吐出口を有する塗布器と、塗布器に塗布液を供給する塗布液供給装置と、被塗布部材を吸着保持する載置台と、塗布器と被塗布部材を相対移動させる移動手段と、を備えた塗布装置であって、さらに請求項５〜９のいずれかに記載の洗浄装置と、該洗浄装置による塗布器の洗浄面の洗浄後に、塗布器の洗浄面に係合する清掃部材を塗布器の長手方向に摺動させて塗布器の洗浄面の初期化を行う拭き取り装置と、を備えたことを特徴とする。   The coating device according to the present invention includes a coating device having a discharge port for discharging a coating solution, a coating solution supply device that supplies the coating solution to the coating device, a mounting table that holds and holds a member to be coated, a coating device, and a coating device. An applicator provided with a moving means for relatively moving the applicator member, and further comprising: the cleaning device according to any one of claims 5 to 9; and the applicator after the cleaning surface of the applicator is cleaned by the cleaning device And a wiping device that initializes the cleaning surface of the applicator by sliding a cleaning member that engages the cleaning surface in the longitudinal direction of the applicator.

本発明になる液晶ディスプレイ用部材の製造方法は、請求項１から３に記載の塗布器の洗浄方法、または請求項４に記載の塗布方法を用いて液晶ディスプレイ用部材を製造することを特徴とする。   The manufacturing method of the member for liquid crystal displays which becomes this invention manufactures the member for liquid crystal displays using the washing | cleaning method of the applicator of Claims 1-3, or the coating method of Claim 4. To do.

本発明になる塗布器の洗浄方法および洗浄装置を用いれば、洗浄装置の洗浄液を吐出する洗浄液流出口を有する洗浄機と、ガス等の気体を噴射する気体噴出口を有する気体噴出器が、塗布器であるスリットノズルの長手方向に直列状に並んで配置されているので、洗浄液と気体を同時に吐出して洗浄機と気体噴出器を走査させても、スリットノズルに洗浄液が先に衝突するようにしているので、洗浄液により洗浄が行われてから、残存洗浄液を気体で除去、乾燥することが可能となり、１回の走査で洗浄と、洗浄液の除去・乾燥が可能となる。   If the washing | cleaning method and washing | cleaning apparatus of the applicator which become this invention are used, the washing | cleaning machine which has the washing | cleaning-liquid outflow port which discharges the washing | cleaning liquid of a washing | cleaning apparatus, and the gas ejector which has gas outlets which inject gas, such as gas, will apply | coat Since the cleaning nozzle and the gas ejector are simultaneously scanned by discharging the cleaning liquid and the gas at the same time, the cleaning liquid collides with the slit nozzle first. Therefore, after cleaning is performed with the cleaning liquid, the remaining cleaning liquid can be removed by gas and dried, and cleaning and removal / drying of the cleaning liquid can be performed in one scan.

さらに洗浄機の洗浄液流出口と気体噴出器の気体噴出口をスリットノズルの長手方向に千鳥配置して、洗浄液や気体がより多くの回数や広い領域でスリットノズルに衝突するようにしたので、洗浄液と気体による洗浄能力を高めることが可能となり、従来と同じ洗浄状態をえるのに、洗浄機と気体噴出器を備える洗浄ヘッドの走査回数をより少なくすることが可能となる。以上の２つの効果によって洗浄のための洗浄ヘッドの走査回数を少なくできるので、塗布工程のタクトタイムを短くすることができ、生産性を向上させることができる。   Furthermore, the cleaning liquid outlet of the cleaning machine and the gas outlet of the gas ejector are arranged in a staggered manner in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle so that the cleaning liquid and gas collide with the slit nozzle more frequently and in a wide area. Therefore, it is possible to increase the cleaning ability with the gas, and to reduce the number of scans of the cleaning head including the cleaning machine and the gas ejector in order to obtain the same cleaning state as before. Since the number of scans of the cleaning head for cleaning can be reduced by the above two effects, the tact time of the coating process can be shortened and productivity can be improved.

また、洗浄液流出口、気体噴出口が同一面上でそれぞれ複数個長手方向に配置されているとともに、洗浄機と気体噴出器の最下方部に排出口が長手方向にのびるように配置されているので、効率よく洗浄が行われるとともに、除去した洗浄液や気体が排出口を通過して外部に排出されるので、除去した洗浄液のスリットノズルへの再付着を起こすことなく、高品位の洗浄が行える。   A plurality of cleaning liquid outlets and gas outlets are arranged in the longitudinal direction on the same surface, and a discharge port is arranged in the lowermost part of the cleaning machine and the gas ejector so as to extend in the longitudinal direction. As a result, cleaning is performed efficiently, and the removed cleaning solution or gas passes through the discharge port and is discharged to the outside. Therefore, high-quality cleaning can be performed without causing the removed cleaning solution to reattach to the slit nozzle. .

本発明になる塗布方法及び塗布装置を用いれば、洗浄液と気体による洗浄後に、スリットノズルから塗布液を吐出して、スリットノズルの洗浄面に係合する清掃部材を長手方向に洗浄面に摺動して初期化を行うようにしたので、洗浄時に洗浄液がスリットノズル内の塗布液と混合しても、その混合物が排出されてからスリットノズルの洗浄面の初期化が行われるのであるから、塗布欠点を起こすことなく高品質の塗布をすぐに行うことが可能となる。   If the coating method and the coating apparatus according to the present invention are used, after cleaning with the cleaning liquid and gas, the coating liquid is discharged from the slit nozzle, and the cleaning member that engages the cleaning surface of the slit nozzle slides on the cleaning surface in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, even if the cleaning liquid is mixed with the coating liquid in the slit nozzle during cleaning, the cleaning surface of the slit nozzle is initialized after the mixture is discharged. High-quality coating can be performed immediately without causing defects.

本発明になる液晶ディスプレイ用部材の製造方法によれば、上記の優れた塗布器の洗浄方法ならびに塗布方法を用いて液晶ディスプレイ用部材を製造するのであるから、塗布工程タクトタイム短縮による生産性と塗布器の洗浄状態の向上により、低コストで高品質の液晶ディスプレイ用部材を製造できる。   According to the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display member of the present invention, the liquid crystal display member is manufactured using the above-described excellent applicator cleaning method and coating method. By improving the cleaning state of the applicator, a high-quality liquid crystal display member can be manufactured at low cost.

以下、この発明の好ましい一実施形態を図面に基づいて説明する。   Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

図１は、本発明に係る洗浄装置２００を含むスリットコータ１の概略正面図、図２は本発明にかる洗浄ヘッド２２０の拡大概略斜視図、図３はスリットノズルの洗浄装置２００の概略正面断面図、図４は図３の概略側面図、図５は本発明になる別の洗浄ヘッドの拡大概略斜視図、図６は図５の概略正面断面図、図７は本発明になるさらに別の洗浄ヘッドの拡大概略斜視図である。   1 is a schematic front view of a slit coater 1 including a cleaning device 200 according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic perspective view of a cleaning head 220 according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a schematic front sectional view of a cleaning device 200 for slit nozzles. 4 is a schematic side view of FIG. 3, FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic perspective view of another cleaning head according to the present invention, FIG. 6 is a schematic front sectional view of FIG. 5, and FIG. It is an expansion schematic perspective view of a washing head.

まず図１を参照すると、本発明の洗浄装置２００を装備した塗布装置であるスリットコータ１が示されている。このスリットコータ１は基台２を備えており、基台２上には、被塗布部材である基板Ａの載置台、すなわちステージ６が配置されている。ステージ６の上面は図示しない吸着孔からなる真空吸着面となっており、基板Ａを吸着保持することができる。基台２上には、さらに一対のガイドレール４が設けられており、このガイドレール４上には、門型ガントリー１０がＸ方向に案内自在に搭載されている。門型ガントリー１０には、上下昇降ユニット７０を介して、塗布器であるスリットノズル２０がステージ６の上方の位置にくるように取り付けられている。門型ガントリー１０は図示しないリニアモータで駆動されるので、これに搭載されているスリットノズル２０は、図１に矢印で示されているＸ方向に自在に往復動することができる。すなわち門型ガントリー１０は、スリットノズル２０とステージ６上の基板Ａを相対移動させる移動手段となる。   First, referring to FIG. 1, a slit coater 1 which is a coating apparatus equipped with a cleaning apparatus 200 of the present invention is shown. The slit coater 1 includes a base 2, and a mounting table for a substrate A that is a member to be coated, that is, a stage 6 is disposed on the base 2. The upper surface of the stage 6 is a vacuum suction surface made up of suction holes (not shown) and can hold the substrate A by suction. A pair of guide rails 4 is further provided on the base 2, and a portal gantry 10 is mounted on the guide rails 4 so as to be guided in the X direction. A slit nozzle 20 as an applicator is attached to the portal gantry 10 via an up-and-down lift unit 70 so as to be positioned above the stage 6. Since the portal gantry 10 is driven by a linear motor (not shown), the slit nozzle 20 mounted on the portal gantry 10 can freely reciprocate in the X direction indicated by an arrow in FIG. That is, the portal gantry 10 serves as a moving unit that relatively moves the slit nozzle 20 and the substrate A on the stage 6.

スリットノズル２０は、Ｘ方向に直交する方向（紙面に垂直な方向）にのびているフロントリップ２２、及びリアリップ２４を、シム３２を介してＸ方向に重ね合わせ、図示しない複数の連結ボルトにより一体的に結合して構成されている。スリットノズル２０内の中央部にはマニホールド２６が形成されており、このマニホールド２６もスリットノズル２０の長手方向（Ｘ方向に直交する方向）にのびている。マニホールド２６の下方には、スリット２８が連通して形成されている。このスリット２８もスリットノズル２０の長手方向にのびており、その下端がスリットノズル２０の最下端面である吐出口面３６で開口して、吐出口３４を形成する。なおスリット２８はシム３２によって形成されるので、スリット２８の間隙（Ｘ方向に測定）は、シム３２の厚さと等しくなる。吐出口面３６の両隣には、斜め上方に切り上がっている隣接面３８が設けられている。   The slit nozzle 20 includes a front lip 22 and a rear lip 24 that extend in a direction perpendicular to the X direction (a direction perpendicular to the paper surface) and are overlapped in the X direction via a shim 32 and integrated with a plurality of connection bolts (not shown). It is configured to be connected to. A manifold 26 is formed at the center of the slit nozzle 20, and the manifold 26 also extends in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20 (direction perpendicular to the X direction). A slit 28 is formed below the manifold 26 so as to communicate therewith. The slit 28 also extends in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20, and the lower end thereof opens at the discharge port surface 36 that is the lowermost end surface of the slit nozzle 20 to form the discharge port 34. Since the slit 28 is formed by the shim 32, the gap (measured in the X direction) of the slit 28 is equal to the thickness of the shim 32. On both sides of the discharge port surface 36, adjacent surfaces 38 that are obliquely upward are provided.

このスリットノズル２０を昇降させる上下昇降装置ユニット７０は、スリットノズル２０を吊り下げる形で保持する吊り下げ保持台８０、吊り下げ保持台８０を昇降させる昇降台７８、昇降台７８を上下方向に案内するガイド７４、モータ７２の回転運動を昇降台７８の直線運動に変換するボールねじ７６より構成されている。上下昇降ユニット７０はスリットノズル２０の長手方向の両端部を支持するよう左右１対あって、各々が独立に昇降できるので、スリットノズル２０長手方向の水平に対する傾き角度を任意に設定することができる。これによってスリットノズル２０の吐出口面３６と基板Ａを、スリットノズル２０の長手方向にわたって略並行にすることができる。さらに、この上下昇降ユニット７０によって、ステージ６上の基板Ａとスリットノズル２０の吐出口面３６の間にすきま、すわなち、クリアランスを、任意の大きさに設けることができる。   The vertical lifting / lowering device unit 70 that lifts and lowers the slit nozzle 20 includes a suspension holding base 80 that holds the slit nozzle 20 in a suspended form, a lifting base 78 that lifts and lowers the suspension holding base 80, and a vertical guide for the lifting base 78. And a ball screw 76 for converting the rotational motion of the motor 72 into the linear motion of the lifting platform 78. The vertical lift unit 70 has a pair of left and right so as to support both ends of the slit nozzle 20 in the longitudinal direction, and each can be lifted and lowered independently, so that the inclination angle of the slit nozzle 20 in the longitudinal direction with respect to the horizontal can be arbitrarily set. . Thereby, the discharge port surface 36 of the slit nozzle 20 and the substrate A can be made substantially parallel over the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20. Further, the vertical lift unit 70 can provide a clearance, that is, a clearance of any size between the substrate A on the stage 6 and the discharge port surface 36 of the slit nozzle 20.

再び図１で基台２の左側端部を見ると、拭き取り装置である拭き取りユニット９０と洗浄装置２００が基台２上に、Ｘ方向に並んで取り付けられている。スリットノズル２０は、門型ガントリー１０の移動によって、拭き取りユニット９０の拭き取りヘッド９２や、洗浄装置２００の洗浄ヘッド２２０の上方まで移動することができる。さて拭き取りユニット９０は、スリットノズル２０から塗布液を吐出後、吐出口３４の周辺部である吐出口面３６と隣接面３８に残存する塗布液を除去して、なおかつ吐出口まで塗布液が満たされた状態にする、すなわちスリットノズルの初期化を行うものである。この初期化を毎回の塗布前に必ず実施することで、スリットノズル２０は常に同じ状態で塗布を開始することができ、多数枚の基板に塗布を行っても、すべての基板で同じ均一な塗布膜を再現性よく形成することができる。拭き取りユニット９０には、スリットノズル２０の吐出口３４周辺部である吐出口面３６と隣接面３８、すなわちスリットノズル２０の洗浄面に係合する形状を有する清掃部材である拭き取りヘッド９２が、ブラケット９４を介してスライダー９６に取り付けられている。スライダー９６は駆動ユニット９８により、スリットノズル２０の長手方向、すなわちＸ方向に直行する方向に自在に移動する。駆動ユニット９８とトレイ１００は台１０２上に固定されている。また拭き取りを行う時は、スリットノズル２０が拭き取りヘッド９２に係合する位置まで門型ガントリー１０をＸ方向に移動させ、スリットノズル２０を下降して拭き取りヘッド９２に係合させる。そして、駆動ユニット９８を駆動して拭き取りヘッド９２をスリットノズル２０の長手方向に摺動させると、スリットノズル２０の吐出口３４の周辺部に残存している塗布液を除去して、スリットノズル２０の初期化を行うことができる。除去した塗布液はトレイ１００で回収される。トレイ１００は図示しない排出ラインに接続されており、内部にたまった塗布液等の液体を外部に排出、回収することができる。またトレイ１００は、スリットノズル２０からエアー抜き等で吐出される塗布液を回収するために使用することもできる。なお拭き取りヘッド９２はスリットノズル２０に均等に係合できるようゴム等の弾性体、合成樹脂が好ましい。   Looking again at the left end of the base 2 in FIG. 1, a wiping unit 90 as a wiping device and a cleaning device 200 are mounted on the base 2 side by side in the X direction. The slit nozzle 20 can be moved to above the wiping head 92 of the wiping unit 90 and the cleaning head 220 of the cleaning device 200 by the movement of the portal gantry 10. Now, the wiping unit 90 discharges the coating liquid from the slit nozzle 20 and then removes the coating liquid remaining on the discharge port surface 36 and the adjacent surface 38 which are the peripheral portions of the discharge port 34 and fills the discharge port with the coating liquid. In other words, the slit nozzle is initialized. By always performing this initialization before each application, the slit nozzle 20 can always start application in the same state, and even if application is performed on a large number of substrates, the same uniform application is applied to all substrates. A film can be formed with good reproducibility. The wiping unit 90 includes a wiping head 92 which is a cleaning member having a shape that engages with the discharge port surface 36 adjacent to the discharge port 34 of the slit nozzle 20 and the adjacent surface 38, that is, the cleaning surface of the slit nozzle 20. It is attached to the slider 96 through 94. The slider 96 is freely moved by the drive unit 98 in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20, that is, in a direction orthogonal to the X direction. The drive unit 98 and the tray 100 are fixed on a table 102. When wiping is performed, the portal gantry 10 is moved in the X direction to a position where the slit nozzle 20 is engaged with the wiping head 92, and the slit nozzle 20 is lowered and engaged with the wiping head 92. Then, when the drive unit 98 is driven to slide the wiping head 92 in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20, the coating liquid remaining in the periphery of the discharge port 34 of the slit nozzle 20 is removed, and the slit nozzle 20. Can be initialized. The removed coating liquid is collected in the tray 100. The tray 100 is connected to a discharge line (not shown) and can discharge and collect a liquid such as a coating liquid accumulated inside. The tray 100 can also be used for collecting the coating liquid discharged from the slit nozzle 20 by air bleeding or the like. The wiping head 92 is preferably an elastic body such as rubber or a synthetic resin so that it can be engaged with the slit nozzle 20 evenly.

次に洗浄装置２００は、スリットノズル２０の吐出口３４周辺部で、塗布液が乾燥固化したものを除去するために、洗浄液をスリットノズル２０の隣接面３８に向けて噴射して吐出口３４周辺部にまでいきわたらせて固化物を溶解させ、さらに窒素ガスやエアー等の気体を噴射して、残存している洗浄液を溶解した固化物とともに除去して乾燥させるものである。そのような機能を有する洗浄装置２００には、洗浄液と気体を噴射する洗浄ヘッド２２０が、ブラケット２０４を介して、駆動ユニット２０８により長手方向に自在に往復動可能なスライダー２０６に取り付けられている。駆動ユニット２０８とトレイ２０２は台２１０上に固定されている。トレイ２０２は洗浄範囲にある塗布液や洗浄液をすべて回収できるように、トレイ２０２の長手方向長さは、スリットノズル２０の吐出口３４の長手方向長さよりも長いことが好ましい。トレイ２０２の最下面にある液体排出管２１４は液体配管２１２を介して図示しない排出ラインに接続されており、トレイ２０２にたまった塗布液や洗浄液を液体排出管２１４から外部に排出することができる。トレイ２０２の側面には気体排出管２１６も設けられている。気体排出管２１６は気体配管２１８を介して図示されていない吸引源に接続されており、空気、窒素ガス等の気体はこの気体排出管２１６から吸引源まで吸引されて外部に排出される。   Next, the cleaning apparatus 200 sprays the cleaning liquid toward the adjacent surface 38 of the slit nozzle 20 in order to remove the dried and solidified coating liquid at the periphery of the discharge nozzle 34 of the slit nozzle 20, and the periphery of the discharge nozzle 34. The solidified product is dissolved to reach the part, and a gas such as nitrogen gas or air is sprayed to remove the remaining cleaning liquid together with the dissolved solidified product, followed by drying. In the cleaning apparatus 200 having such a function, a cleaning head 220 that ejects cleaning liquid and gas is attached to a slider 206 that can freely reciprocate in the longitudinal direction by a drive unit 208 via a bracket 204. The drive unit 208 and the tray 202 are fixed on the table 210. It is preferable that the length of the tray 202 in the longitudinal direction is longer than the length of the discharge port 34 of the slit nozzle 20 in the longitudinal direction so that the tray 202 can collect all the coating liquid and cleaning liquid in the cleaning range. The liquid discharge pipe 214 on the lowermost surface of the tray 202 is connected to a discharge line (not shown) via the liquid pipe 212, and the coating liquid and cleaning liquid accumulated in the tray 202 can be discharged from the liquid discharge pipe 214 to the outside. . A gas discharge pipe 216 is also provided on the side surface of the tray 202. The gas discharge pipe 216 is connected to a suction source (not shown) via a gas pipe 218, and gases such as air and nitrogen gas are sucked from the gas discharge pipe 216 to the suction source and discharged to the outside.

さて、スリットノズル２０の吐出口３４周辺部の洗浄を行う時は、洗浄ヘッド２２０の直上位置にスリットノズル２０がくるように、門型ガントリー１０をＸ方向に移動させ、スリットノズル２０を下降して洗浄ヘッド２２０に近接させる。洗浄ヘッド２２０は、洗浄液タンク２６４に洗浄液配管２６０、バルブ２６２、流量調整装置２４２を介して接続されているので、圧空源２６８からの背圧によって、バルブ２６２を開にした時に、洗浄液２６６を洗浄ヘッド２２０に圧送供給できる。この時の洗浄液の流量は絞り弁等からなる流量調整装置２４２によって調整される。また洗浄ヘッド２２０は同様に気体源２７４にも気体液配管２７０、バルブ２７２、圧力調整装置２４４を介して接続されているので、窒素ガスやエアー等の気体が、圧力調整装置２４４で調整された大きさの圧力により洗浄ヘッド２２０に圧送供給される。   When cleaning the periphery of the discharge port 34 of the slit nozzle 20, the portal gantry 10 is moved in the X direction so that the slit nozzle 20 is positioned immediately above the cleaning head 220, and the slit nozzle 20 is lowered. To bring it close to the cleaning head 220. Since the cleaning head 220 is connected to the cleaning liquid tank 264 via the cleaning liquid pipe 260, the valve 262, and the flow rate adjusting device 242, the cleaning liquid 266 is cleaned when the valve 262 is opened by the back pressure from the compressed air source 268. The head 220 can be pumped and supplied. The flow rate of the cleaning liquid at this time is adjusted by a flow rate adjusting device 242 including a throttle valve or the like. Similarly, the cleaning head 220 is connected to the gas source 274 via the gas liquid pipe 270, the valve 272, and the pressure adjusting device 244, so that gas such as nitrogen gas or air is adjusted by the pressure adjusting device 244. The cleaning head 220 is pumped and supplied with a large pressure.

図２を見ると、洗浄ヘッド２２０が示されている。洗浄ヘッド２２０は外観上は左右対称形の一対のブロック２２２Ａ、Ｂより構成され、第１斜面２２８Ａ、Ｂに洗浄液を吐出する複数の洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂを設けた洗浄機２３３と、第２斜面２３０Ａ、Ｂに気体を噴射する複数の気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂを設けた気体噴出器２３５とが、スリットノズル２０の長手方向に沿ってそれぞれ一直線上に直列状に並んで設けられている。洗浄液流出口２２４Ａは同一面となる第１斜面２２８Ａ上で、洗浄液流出口２２４Ｂも同一面となる第１斜面２２８Ｂ上で、それぞれ複数個長手方向に配置されている。また、気体噴出口２２６Ａは同一面となる第２斜面２３０Ａ上で、気体噴出口２２６Ｂも同一面となる第２斜面２３０Ｂ上で、それぞれ複数個長手方向に配置されている。洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂ、気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂをこのように配置することによって、効率よく洗浄液の洗浄面への付着と、気体による洗浄液の除去を行うことができる。洗浄機２３３と気体噴出器２３５は一体に構成され、その間、すなわち第１斜面２２８Ａ、Ｂと第２斜面２３０Ａ、Ｂの間には溝２３４Ａ、Ｂが設けられている。この溝２３４Ａ、Ｂは、洗浄機２３３と気体噴出器をスリットノズル２０の長手方向に分離するものである。これによって、第１斜面２２８Ａ、Ｂ上にたまった洗浄液が第２斜面の方に伝わって流れるのを防止でき、その結果、気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂの上を洗浄液が覆い、気体噴射時に洗浄液がミスト状になって洗浄ヘッド２２０周囲にあるものを洗浄液ミストで汚すのを防止することができる。洗浄機２３３と気体噴出器２３５を一体化せず、長手方向に離して間に空間を設けるようにして設置しても、溝２３４Ａ、Ｂと同じ効果が得られるので、そのような構成をとってもよい。溝２３４Ａ、Ｂの上下方向における深さとスリットノズル２０の長手方向における長さについては、深さは好ましくは３ｍｍ以上より好ましくは１０ｍｍ以上とし、長さは好ましくは３ｍｍ以上、より好ましくは１０ｍｍ以上とする。以上の好ましい範囲より短いと、上記の第１斜面２２８Ａ、Ｂ上にたまった洗浄液が第２斜面の方に伝わって流れるのを防止できない。また一対のブロック２２２Ａ、Ｂの間の最下方部、すなわち洗浄機２３３と気体噴出器２３５の最下方部には、除去した洗浄液や塗布液等の液体と気体が通過する排出口２３２が設けられている。この排出口２３２は長手方向に伸びる形状をしていることが、通過する液体量や気体量が多くなり好ましい。排出口２３２は長手方向に複数箇所で断続的に設けられてもよいが、フタ等によって完全に閉じられて洗浄液や気体の通過が阻止されると、除去した洗浄液等の液体がそこにたまり、さらに気体噴出器より噴射された気体がたまった液体をミスト状にして舞い上がらせるので、除去した液体がスリットノズル２０の吐出口面３６や隣接面３８に再付着するという不都合が生じる。したがって排出口２３２は、洗浄液や気体が通過できるように常に開いていることが、スリットノズル２０の洗浄品位を高めるのに必須のものとなる。なお排出口２３２は、洗浄ヘッド２２０の長手方向に直交する方向、すなわちＸ方向に好ましくは１mm以上、より好ましくは５mm以上の長さを有する。この排出口２３２のＸ方向長さは、ブロック２２２Ａとブロック２２２Ｂ間のＸ方向の間隔ともいえる。排出口２３２のＸ方向長さが好ましい範囲よりも短いと、洗浄液等の液体や気体が通過しにくくなり、排出口２３２に実質的にフタをしたのと同じこととなって、除去した洗浄液等の液体のスリットノズル２０の洗浄面への再付着等の不都合が生じる。   Turning to FIG. 2, a cleaning head 220 is shown. The cleaning head 220 is composed of a pair of symmetrical blocks 222A and 222B in appearance, a cleaning machine 233 provided with a plurality of cleaning liquid outlets 224A and B for discharging the cleaning liquid to the first inclined surfaces 228A and B, and a second Gas ejectors 235 provided with a plurality of gas ejection ports 226A, B for injecting gas onto the slopes 230A, B are provided in series in a straight line along the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20, respectively. A plurality of the cleaning liquid outlets 224A are arranged in the longitudinal direction on the first inclined surface 228A which is the same surface, and the cleaning liquid outlets 224B are also arranged on the first inclined surface 228B which is the same surface. Further, a plurality of gas outlets 226A are arranged in the longitudinal direction on the second inclined surface 230A that is the same surface, and a plurality of gas outlets 226B are also arranged on the second inclined surface 230B that is the same surface. By disposing the cleaning liquid outlets 224A and 224B and the gas ejection ports 226A and B in this manner, the cleaning liquid can be efficiently attached to the cleaning surface and the cleaning liquid can be removed by the gas. The cleaning machine 233 and the gas ejector 235 are formed integrally, and grooves 234A, B are provided between them, that is, between the first inclined surfaces 228A, B and the second inclined surfaces 230A, 230B. The grooves 234 </ b> A and B separate the cleaning machine 233 and the gas ejector in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20. As a result, it is possible to prevent the cleaning liquid accumulated on the first inclined surfaces 228A, B from being transmitted to the second inclined surface, and as a result, the cleaning liquid covers the gas outlets 226A, B, and the cleaning liquid is discharged during the gas injection. It is possible to prevent a mist-like condition around the cleaning head 220 from being stained with the cleaning liquid mist. Even if the cleaning machine 233 and the gas blower 235 are not integrated, and installed so as to be spaced apart in the longitudinal direction and have a space therebetween, the same effect as the grooves 234A and 234B can be obtained. Good. Regarding the depth in the vertical direction of the grooves 234A and B and the length in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20, the depth is preferably 3 mm or more, more preferably 10 mm or more, and the length is preferably 3 mm or more, more preferably 10 mm or more. To do. If shorter than the above preferable range, it is impossible to prevent the cleaning liquid accumulated on the first inclined surfaces 228A and 228B from flowing toward the second inclined surface. A discharge port 232 through which liquid and gas such as the removed cleaning liquid and coating liquid pass is provided at the lowermost part between the pair of blocks 222A and 222B, that is, the lowermost part of the cleaning machine 233 and the gas ejector 235. ing. It is preferable that the discharge port 232 has a shape extending in the longitudinal direction because the amount of liquid or gas passing therethrough increases. The discharge port 232 may be provided intermittently at a plurality of locations in the longitudinal direction, but when it is completely closed by a lid or the like and the passage of the cleaning liquid or gas is prevented, liquid such as the removed cleaning liquid accumulates there, Further, since the liquid in which the gas ejected from the gas ejector is accumulated is caused to rise in the form of a mist, the removed liquid is reattached to the discharge port surface 36 and the adjacent surface 38 of the slit nozzle 20. Therefore, it is essential to improve the cleaning quality of the slit nozzle 20 that the discharge port 232 is always open so that the cleaning liquid or gas can pass therethrough. The discharge port 232 preferably has a length of 1 mm or more, more preferably 5 mm or more in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the cleaning head 220, that is, the X direction. The length of the discharge port 232 in the X direction can be said to be the distance in the X direction between the block 222A and the block 222B. If the length of the discharge port 232 in the X direction is shorter than the preferred range, it becomes difficult for a liquid or gas such as a cleaning solution to pass through, which is substantially the same as the case where the discharge port 232 is capped. Inconvenience such as redeposition of the liquid to the cleaning surface of the slit nozzle 20 occurs.

さて図３は、スリットノズル２０が洗浄ヘッド２２０の洗浄位置に配置された時の洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂでの側面断面図であるが、図示されているように、洗浄ヘッド２２０を構成するブロック２２２Ａ、Ｂはスリットノズル２０に対して左右対称に配置されるのが、洗浄状態を均等にするために好ましい。ここで洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂは、それぞれ洗浄液流出流路となる洗浄液導通路２４０Ａ、Ｂを介してマニホールド２３６Ａ、Ｂに連通しており、さらにマニホールド２３６Ａ、Ｂは洗浄液配管２６０に接続されている。図示されていないが、同様に気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂも気体噴出流路となる気体導通路を介してマニホールドに通じており、このマニホールドは気体配管２７０を介して気体源２７４に接続されている。これらのマニホールドは、洗浄液や気体を洗浄ヘッド２２０の長手方向に広げて、洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂや気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂから洗浄液と気体をそれぞれ均一に吐出する役割がある。洗浄ヘッド２２０に供給された洗浄液は洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂより、図３に示されるように洗浄液導通路２４０Ａ、Ｂの中心線が水平線に対して傾斜している角度θｓだけ斜め上方に吐出されて、スリットノズル２０の隣接面３８上の領域Ｅに衝突する。角度θｓは洗浄液の吐出角度と定義されるが、この後洗浄液は隣接面３８を伝わって下方に流れ、吐出口面３６下に集合して一旦たまった後、一部の洗浄液は吐出口面３６と隣接面３８に残存する一方、残りの洗浄液はそこから下方に落下し、ブロック２２２Ａ、Ｂの間にある排出口２３２とブラケット２０４に設けられた長穴２３８を通過して、トレイ２０２まで落下する。トレイ２０２に落下した洗浄液は液体排出管２１４から外部に排出される。なお、洗浄液を隣接面３８に衝突するようにするのは、塗布液が隣接面３８まではい上がってその位置で固化することがあり、その固化物を洗浄液による溶解や、洗浄液吐出の動圧により直接除去できるようにするためである。   FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the cleaning liquid outlets 224A and 224B when the slit nozzle 20 is disposed at the cleaning position of the cleaning head 220. As shown in FIG. 3, the blocks constituting the cleaning head 220 are shown. It is preferable to arrange 222A and B symmetrically with respect to the slit nozzle 20 in order to make the cleaning state uniform. Here, the cleaning liquid outlets 224A and 224B communicate with the manifolds 236A and B through the cleaning liquid conduction paths 240A and B, which are the cleaning liquid outflow paths, respectively, and the manifolds 236A and B are further connected to the cleaning liquid pipe 260. . Although not shown, the gas outlets 226 </ b> A and B are similarly connected to the manifold via a gas conduction path serving as a gas ejection flow path, and the manifold is connected to a gas source 274 via a gas pipe 270. . These manifolds have a role of spreading the cleaning liquid and gas in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning head 220 and uniformly discharging the cleaning liquid and the gas from the cleaning liquid outlets 224A, B and the gas outlets 226A, B, respectively. The cleaning liquid supplied to the cleaning head 220 is discharged obliquely upward from the cleaning liquid outlets 224A and B by an angle θs at which the center line of the cleaning liquid conduction paths 240A and B is inclined with respect to the horizontal line as shown in FIG. Thus, it collides with the region E on the adjacent surface 38 of the slit nozzle 20. The angle θs is defined as the discharge angle of the cleaning liquid. After that, the cleaning liquid flows downward along the adjacent surface 38, collects under the discharge port surface 36, and once accumulates, and then a part of the cleaning liquid discharges the discharge port surface 36. And the remaining cleaning liquid falls downward from there, passes through the discharge port 232 between the blocks 222A and 222B and the long hole 238 provided in the bracket 204, and falls to the tray 202. To do. The cleaning liquid dropped on the tray 202 is discharged to the outside from the liquid discharge pipe 214. The reason for causing the cleaning liquid to collide with the adjacent surface 38 is that the coating liquid may rise up to the adjacent surface 38 and solidify at that position, and the solidified product may be dissolved by the cleaning liquid or by the dynamic pressure of the cleaning liquid discharge. This is so that it can be removed directly.

図示されていないが、洗浄ヘッド２２０に供給された気体も気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂより、気体導通路の中心線が水平線に対して傾斜している角度θｋだけ斜め上方に噴射されて、スリットノズル２０の隣接面３８上の領域に衝突した後、隣接面３８を伝わって上方と下方に流れるものに分かれる。ここでθｋは気体の吐出角度、または噴出角度と定義されるが、隣接面３８の上方に流れる気体は周囲に分散し、隣接面３８の下方に流れる気体は、吐出口面３６と隣接面３８すなわちスリットノズル２０の洗浄面に付着している洗浄液を除去し、除去した洗浄液と共に排出口２３２と長穴２３８を通過して、トレイ２０２の方に向かう。いずれの方向に向かった気体も最終的には、トレイ２０２の側面に設けられた気体排出管２１６より吸引されて外部に排出される。なお、気体が衝突する隣接面３８上の領域は、洗浄液が衝突する領域Ｅと同じ高さか、それより高い位置にある方が好ましい。その方が気体によって洗浄液が上に押し上げられず、必ず下方に落下させられるからである。なお長穴２３８は洗浄ヘッド２２０を支持するブラケット２０４に設けられているものであり、上記のように洗浄液や気体が通過し、実質的に排出口２３２と同じ役割を果たしているので、長手方向に伸びる形状を有していることが、洗浄液等の液体や気体が通過する量が多くなり、好ましい。   Although not shown, the gas supplied to the cleaning head 220 is also ejected obliquely upward from the gas ejection ports 226A, B by an angle θk at which the center line of the gas conduction path is inclined with respect to the horizontal line. After colliding with the area on the 20 adjacent surfaces 38, it is divided into those that flow upward and downward along the adjacent surface 38. Here, θk is defined as a gas discharge angle or a jet angle, but the gas flowing above the adjacent surface 38 is dispersed to the surroundings, and the gas flowing below the adjacent surface 38 is the discharge port surface 36 and the adjacent surface 38. That is, the cleaning liquid adhering to the cleaning surface of the slit nozzle 20 is removed, and passes through the discharge port 232 and the long hole 238 together with the removed cleaning liquid, toward the tray 202. The gas directed in any direction is finally sucked from the gas discharge pipe 216 provided on the side surface of the tray 202 and discharged to the outside. The region on the adjacent surface 38 where the gas collides is preferably at the same height as the region E where the cleaning liquid collides or at a higher position. This is because the cleaning liquid is not pushed up by the gas and is always dropped downward. The elongated hole 238 is provided in the bracket 204 that supports the cleaning head 220, and the cleaning liquid and gas pass through as described above and play substantially the same role as the discharge port 232. It is preferable to have an elongated shape because the amount of a liquid such as a cleaning liquid or a gas passing therethrough increases.

図４は、図３の洗浄ヘッド２２０とスリットノズル２０をＸ方向に見たものであるが、洗浄ヘッド２２０の長手方向長さＷｎは、スリットノズル２０の長手方向全長Ｗｔよりも小さくしている。洗浄ヘッド２２０から洗浄液あるいは気体を吐出しながら、駆動ユニット２０８を駆動して洗浄ヘッド２２０をスリットノズル２０の長手方向に走査させると、洗浄液あるいは気体と衝突するスリットノズル２０の隣接面３８上の領域は、斜線で示されたような幅のあるライン状の衝突領域２５０になる。この衝突領域２５０上に固化物や塗布液が残存していると、動圧の作用によってより容易に残存物を除去することができる。   4 shows the cleaning head 220 and the slit nozzle 20 of FIG. 3 as viewed in the X direction. The longitudinal length Wn of the cleaning head 220 is smaller than the overall length Wt of the slit nozzle 20 in the longitudinal direction. . When the drive unit 208 is driven to scan the cleaning head 220 in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20 while discharging the cleaning liquid or gas from the cleaning head 220, the region on the adjacent surface 38 of the slit nozzle 20 that collides with the cleaning liquid or gas. Becomes a line-shaped collision area 250 having a width as shown by hatching. If the solidified product or the coating liquid remains on the collision region 250, the residual material can be more easily removed by the action of dynamic pressure.

再び図１にもどってスリットノズル２０を見ると、スリットノズル２０のマニホールド２６の上流側は、塗布液供給装置４０に連なる供給ホース６０に、内部通路（図示しない）を介して常時接続されており、これにより、マニホールド２６へは塗布液供給装置４０から塗布液を供給することができる。マニホールド２６に入った塗布液はスリットノズル２０の長手方向に均等に拡幅されて、スリット２８を経て、吐出口３４から吐出される。   Returning to FIG. 1 again, when the slit nozzle 20 is seen, the upstream side of the manifold 26 of the slit nozzle 20 is always connected to a supply hose 60 connected to the coating liquid supply device 40 via an internal passage (not shown). Thus, the coating liquid can be supplied from the coating liquid supply apparatus 40 to the manifold 26. The coating liquid that has entered the manifold 26 is uniformly widened in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20 and is discharged from the discharge port 34 through the slit 28.

なお、塗布液供給装置４０は、供給ホース６０の上流側に、フィルター４６、供給バルブ４２、シリンジポンプ５０、吸引バルブ４４、吸引ホース６２、タンク６４を備えている。タンク６４には塗布液６６が蓄えられており、圧空源６８に連結されて任意の大きさの背圧を塗布液６６に付加することができる。タンク６４内の塗布液６６は、吸引ホース６２を通じてシリンジポンプ５０に供給される。シリンジポンプ５０では、シリンジ５２、ピストン５４が本体５６に取り付けられている。ここでピストン５４は図示しない駆動源によって上下方向に自在に往復動できる。シリンジポンプ５０は、一定の内径を有するシリンジ５２内に塗布液を充填し、それをピストン５４により押し出して、スリットノズル２０に基板Ａを一枚塗布する分だけ供給する定容量型のポンプである。シリンジ５２内に塗布液６６を充填するときは、吸引バルブ４４を開、供給バルブ４２を閉として、ピストン５４を下方に移動させる。またシリンジ５２内に充填された塗布液をスリットノズル２０に向かって供給するときは、吸引バルブ４４を閉、供給バルブ４２を開とし、ピストン５４を上方に移動させることで、ピストン５４でシリンジ５２内部の塗布液を押し上げて排出する。   The coating liquid supply device 40 includes a filter 46, a supply valve 42, a syringe pump 50, a suction valve 44, a suction hose 62, and a tank 64 on the upstream side of the supply hose 60. A coating liquid 66 is stored in the tank 64, and a back pressure of an arbitrary magnitude can be applied to the coating liquid 66 by being connected to a pressure air source 68. The coating liquid 66 in the tank 64 is supplied to the syringe pump 50 through the suction hose 62. In the syringe pump 50, a syringe 52 and a piston 54 are attached to the main body 56. Here, the piston 54 can reciprocate freely in the vertical direction by a drive source (not shown). The syringe pump 50 is a constant-capacity type pump that fills a syringe 52 having a constant inner diameter with a coating liquid, pushes it out by a piston 54, and supplies the slit nozzle 20 with a single substrate A. . When filling the syringe 52 with the coating liquid 66, the suction valve 44 is opened, the supply valve 42 is closed, and the piston 54 is moved downward. Further, when supplying the coating liquid filled in the syringe 52 toward the slit nozzle 20, the suction valve 44 is closed, the supply valve 42 is opened, and the piston 54 is moved upward, so that the piston 52 moves the syringe 52. Push up and discharge the coating solution inside.

なお制御信号にて動作するリニアモータ、モータ７２、塗布液供給装置４０、拭き取りユニット９０、洗浄装置２００等はすべて制御装置１１０に電気的に接続されている。そして、制御装置１１０に組み込まれた自動運転プログラムにしたがって制御指令信号が各機器に送信されて、あらかじめ定められた動作を行う。なお条件変更時は操作盤１１２に適宜変更パラメータを入力すれば、それが制御装置１１０に伝達されて、運転動作の変更が実現できる。特に洗浄装置２００では、洗浄ヘッド２２０を走査させるリニアモータだけでなく、洗浄ヘッド２２０から洗浄液や窒素ガス等の気体の噴射を制御するバルブ２６２、バルブ２７２も、制御装置１１０に電気的に接続されており、制御装置１１０にその電気的信号をとりこんだり、制御装置１１０からの指令により、任意の動作をさせることができる。   Note that the linear motor, the motor 72, the coating liquid supply device 40, the wiping unit 90, the cleaning device 200, and the like that are operated by the control signal are all electrically connected to the control device 110. Then, a control command signal is transmitted to each device in accordance with an automatic operation program incorporated in the control device 110 to perform a predetermined operation. When changing the conditions, if a change parameter is appropriately input to the operation panel 112, it is transmitted to the control device 110, and the change of the driving operation can be realized. In particular, in the cleaning apparatus 200, not only a linear motor that scans the cleaning head 220 but also a valve 262 and a valve 272 that control ejection of a gas such as cleaning liquid and nitrogen gas from the cleaning head 220 are electrically connected to the control apparatus 110. Therefore, the control device 110 can take in the electrical signal, or can be operated in accordance with a command from the control device 110.

次に本発明になる洗浄装置２００を用いた洗浄方法について説明する。   Next, a cleaning method using the cleaning apparatus 200 according to the present invention will be described.

まずスリットノズル２０を洗浄ヘッド２２０で洗浄できる位置まで近接させると同時に、駆動ユニット２０８を駆動して、洗浄ヘッド２２０を図４で破線で示されているように、向かって左側にある原点位置Ｐ１に移動後、停止して待機させる。なお洗浄できる位置での洗浄ヘッド２２０の洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂとスリットノズル２０の隣接面３８、さらには気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂと隣接面３８の間の距離は、好ましくは０．５〜１０ｍｍ、より好ましくは１〜４ｍｍである。この範囲より短いと衝突する可能性があり、長いと吐出される洗浄液や気体の動圧が小さくなって除去能力が低下する。   First, the slit nozzle 20 is brought close to a position where it can be cleaned by the cleaning head 220, and at the same time, the drive unit 208 is driven to bring the cleaning head 220 to the origin position P1 on the left side as shown by the broken line in FIG. After moving to, stop and wait. The distance between the cleaning liquid outlets 224A and B of the cleaning head 220 and the adjacent surface 38 of the slit nozzle 20 at the position where cleaning is possible, and the distance between the gas outlets 226A and 226B and the adjacent surface 38 is preferably 0.5 to 10 mm. More preferably, it is 1-4 mm. If it is shorter than this range, there is a possibility of collision, and if it is longer, the dynamic pressure of the discharged cleaning liquid or gas becomes smaller and the removal capability decreases.

準備が整ったら駆動ユニット２０８を駆動して、洗浄ヘッド２２０を図４で一点鎖線で示されているように、右端にある待機位置Ｐ２に向かって移動開始させ、洗浄機２３３の洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂとスリットノズル２０の隣接面３８が対面する位置に来たときに、洗浄機２３３にある洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂより洗浄液のみを吐出する。そして洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂの移動方向の先頭の一つが隣接面３８に対面しなくなる寸前の位置で洗浄液の吐出を停止し、そのまま洗浄ヘッド２２０を右端の待機位置Ｐ２まで移動させる。あらためてここで、方向にかかわらずスリットノズル２０の両端間を洗浄ヘッド２２０が１回移動することを「走査する」ということにする。洗浄液を吐出しながら走査させるときの走査速度は、好ましくは１０〜６００ｍｍ／ｓ、より好ましくは１００〜３００ｍｍ／ｓとする。遅すぎると洗浄時間が長くかかってタクトタイムが長くなり、早すぎると洗浄能力が低下する。なお、洗浄液や気体の吐出は、移動時、停止時に関係なく洗浄ヘッド２２０の洗浄機２３３にある洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂや気体噴出器２３５にある気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂが、スリットノズル２０の隣接面３８と対面した位置にある時に行うことが好ましい。両者が対面していると、洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂから吐出される洗浄液や、気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂから噴射される気体がスリットノズル２０の隣接面３８と衝突後、トレイ２０２にある液体排出管２１４や気体排出管２１６に導かれるが、両者が対面していないと、洗浄液や気体通しが衝突して周囲に飛び散り、周辺装置を汚染してしまうからである。   When ready, the drive unit 208 is driven, and the cleaning head 220 starts to move toward the standby position P2 at the right end as shown by the one-dot chain line in FIG. 4, and the cleaning liquid outlet 224A of the cleaning machine 233 is started. , B and the adjacent surface 38 of the slit nozzle 20 come to a position where they face each other, only the cleaning liquid is discharged from the cleaning liquid outlets 224A, B in the cleaning machine 233. Then, the discharge of the cleaning liquid is stopped at a position just before one of the heads in the moving direction of the cleaning liquid outlets 224A, B stops facing the adjacent surface 38, and the cleaning head 220 is moved to the standby position P2 at the right end as it is. Here again, the movement of the cleaning head 220 once between both ends of the slit nozzle 20 regardless of the direction is referred to as “scanning”. The scanning speed when scanning while discharging the cleaning liquid is preferably 10 to 600 mm / s, more preferably 100 to 300 mm / s. If it is too slow, it takes a long cleaning time and the takt time becomes long, and if it is too early, the cleaning ability decreases. In addition, the discharge of the cleaning liquid and the gas is performed by the cleaning liquid outlets 224A and B in the cleaning machine 233 of the cleaning head 220 and the gas outlets 226A and B in the gas ejector 235 regardless of the movement or stop. It is preferable to perform this when it is at a position facing the adjacent surface 38. If both face each other, the cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning liquid outlets 224A and 224B and the gas jetted from the gas outlets 226A and B collide with the adjacent surface 38 of the slit nozzle 20, and then the liquid discharged in the tray 202 is discharged. This is because the pipes 214 and the gas discharge pipe 216 are led to each other, but if they do not face each other, the cleaning liquid and the gas flow collide with each other and scatter around and contaminate the peripheral device.

さて洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂより吐出された洗浄液はスリットノズル２０の隣接面３８に衝突後、トレイ２０２に落下して回収されるものもあるが、一部はスリットノズル２０の隣接面３８や吐出口面３６に残存する。残存している洗浄液によって、スリットノズル２０の隣接面３８や吐出口面３６にある塗布液の固化物が溶解する時間を与えるために、洗浄ヘッド２２０が右端の待機位置Ｐ２に到達してからしばらく停止し、一定時間後に今度は左側の原点位置Ｐ１に向かって洗浄ヘッド２２０を走査開始する。そして洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂのすべてが隣接面３８に対面する位置で洗浄液の吐出を開始し、次いで気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂのすべてが隣接面３８に対面する位置に達した時に気体の噴射を開始する。スリットノズル２２０が原点位置Ｐ１に近づいて、洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂの移動方向の先頭の一つが隣接面３８に対面しなくなる寸前の位置で洗浄液の吐出を停止し、次いで気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂの移動方向の先頭の一つが隣接面３８に対面しなくなる寸前の位置に達したら気体の噴射も停止し、そのまま洗浄ヘッド２２０を左端の原点位置Ｐ１まで移動させる。この走査によって、洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂから吐出された洗浄液が気体よりも先行してスリットノズル２０の隣接面３８と吐出口面３６に付着し、まず、残存した洗浄液で溶解した塗布液の固化物を押し流し、その後にスリットノズル２０の隣接面３８と吐出口面３６に残存した洗浄液を、洗浄液と同時に気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂから噴射されている気体が除去するとともに乾燥させて洗浄が完了する。   The cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning liquid outlets 224A and 224B collides with the adjacent surface 38 of the slit nozzle 20 and then drops onto the tray 202 and is recovered. However, some of the cleaning liquid is discharged to the adjacent surface 38 of the slit nozzle 20 or discharged. It remains on the exit surface 36. In order to give a time for the solidified solution of the coating liquid on the adjacent surface 38 and the discharge port surface 36 of the slit nozzle 20 to be dissolved by the remaining cleaning liquid, for a while after the cleaning head 220 reaches the rightmost standby position P2. After a certain period of time, scanning of the cleaning head 220 is started toward the origin position P1 on the left side. Then, discharge of the cleaning liquid is started at a position where all of the cleaning liquid outlets 224A, B face the adjacent surface 38, and then gas injection is performed when all of the gas outlets 226A, B reach the position facing the adjacent surface 38. Start. The slit nozzle 220 approaches the origin position P1, stops the discharge of the cleaning liquid at a position just before the cleaning liquid outlets 224A, B in the moving direction stops facing the adjacent surface 38, and then the gas outlets 226A, B When the head of one of the moving directions reaches a position just before facing the adjacent surface 38, the gas injection is stopped, and the cleaning head 220 is moved to the left end origin position P1 as it is. By this scanning, the cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning liquid outlets 224A and 224B adheres to the adjacent surface 38 and the discharge port surface 36 of the slit nozzle 20 before the gas, and first solidifies the coating liquid dissolved by the remaining cleaning liquid. The cleaning liquid remaining on the adjacent surface 38 and the discharge port surface 36 of the slit nozzle 20 is washed away by removing the gas sprayed from the gas outlets 226A and 226B simultaneously with the cleaning liquid, and drying is completed. .

本発明になる洗浄ヘッド２２０は、従来のように洗浄機２３３の洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂと、気体噴出器２３５の気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂを長手方向に同位相で上下には配置せず、そもそも洗浄機２３３と気体噴出器２３５をスリットノズル２０の長手方向に直列状に並べて配置したので、洗浄液と気体を同時に吐出しても各々独立した領域で流れるため、両者が混じり合ってミスト状になって周囲のものを汚染するという不具合が生じない。さらに、スリットノズル２０の隣接面３８に対して、先に洗浄液が衝突してから気体が衝突するように走査させた結果、洗浄液による洗浄と気体による残存洗浄液の除去と乾燥を同時に行うことができて、洗浄液による洗浄と気体による残存液の除去と乾燥を別々の走査で行っていた従来のものよりも、洗浄ヘッドの走査回数が減少できることで洗浄のタクトタイムを大幅に短縮することができるとともに、優れた洗浄品位をえることができる。洗浄ヘッド２２０から洗浄液を吐出する洗浄によって、吐出口３４の周辺部である吐出口面３６、隣接面３８にある塗布液の固化物が完全に溶解して除去できるので、塗布時に発生する固化物によるすじ等の品質不良を皆無にすることができる。なお、洗浄液による洗浄を行うと、スリットノズル２０の吐出口３４から洗浄液の一部がどうしても侵入し、吐出口３４近辺のスリット２８内に洗浄液が残存する。そのために洗浄装置２００による洗浄後に塗布を行う場合は、必ず適当量の塗布液をスリットノズル２０に供給して、スリット２８内に残存している洗浄液と塗布液を押しだし、その後に拭き取りユニット９０による拭取りを行って、スリットノズル２０の初期化を行うことが必須である。したがって、洗浄装置による洗浄後に塗布液を吐出口３４から吐出してから、拭き取りユニット９０による拭取りを行って初期化することにより、スリット２８内に存在した洗浄液と塗布液の混合物が排出されているのであるから、高品質の塗布が行える。なおスリットノズル２０の初期化には、回転ロールへの予備塗布を行う手段を用いてもよい。   The cleaning head 220 according to the present invention does not arrange the cleaning liquid outlets 224A and B of the cleaning machine 233 and the gas outlets 226A and B of the gas ejector 235 in the longitudinal direction in the same phase as in the prior art, In the first place, the cleaning machine 233 and the gas ejector 235 are arranged in series in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20, so that even if the cleaning liquid and the gas are discharged simultaneously, they flow in independent regions, so that they mix and form a mist. The problem of contaminating the surroundings does not occur. Furthermore, the adjacent surface 38 of the slit nozzle 20 is scanned so that the gas collides after the cleaning liquid collides first, so that the cleaning with the cleaning liquid, the removal of the remaining cleaning liquid with the gas, and the drying can be performed simultaneously. In addition, the cleaning cycle time can be greatly reduced by reducing the number of scans of the cleaning head, compared to the conventional method in which cleaning with cleaning liquid and removal of residual liquid with gas and drying are performed separately. Excellent cleaning quality can be obtained. By the cleaning that discharges the cleaning liquid from the cleaning head 220, the solidified product of the coating liquid on the discharge port surface 36 and the adjacent surface 38 that are the peripheral part of the discharge port 34 can be completely dissolved and removed, so that the solidified material generated during the coating can be removed. It is possible to eliminate quality defects such as streaks. When cleaning with the cleaning liquid is performed, a part of the cleaning liquid always enters from the discharge port 34 of the slit nozzle 20, and the cleaning liquid remains in the slit 28 near the discharge port 34. Therefore, when coating is performed after cleaning by the cleaning apparatus 200, an appropriate amount of coating liquid is always supplied to the slit nozzle 20, the cleaning liquid and coating liquid remaining in the slit 28 are pushed out, and then the wiping unit 90 is used. It is essential to initialize the slit nozzle 20 by wiping. Therefore, the mixture of the cleaning liquid and the coating liquid present in the slit 28 is discharged by discharging the coating liquid from the discharge port 34 after cleaning by the cleaning device and then performing wiping by the wiping unit 90 to initialize. Therefore, high quality coating can be performed. For initialization of the slit nozzle 20, a means for preliminarily applying to the rotating roll may be used.

洗浄ヘッド２２０による洗浄に用いる洗浄液は、塗布液の固化物を溶解させる必要があることから、塗布液に含まれる構成溶剤が好ましいが、その他塗布液の固化物を溶解させるものであれば、構成溶剤以外の有機溶剤やアルカリ液でもあってもよい。洗浄液を吹き飛ばす気体としては、爆発の心配がないことから、窒素ガス等の不活性ガスが好ましいが、簡便さからクリーン化処理された空気であってもよい。   The cleaning liquid used for cleaning by the cleaning head 220 is preferably a constituent solvent contained in the coating liquid because it is necessary to dissolve the solidified product of the coating liquid. It may be an organic solvent other than the solvent or an alkaline solution. The gas that blows away the cleaning liquid is preferably an inert gas such as nitrogen gas because there is no risk of explosion, but may be air that has been cleaned for simplicity.

タクトタイムを短縮する観点からは、最終仕上げの洗浄は洗浄液と気体を同時に洗浄ヘッド２２０から吐出し、洗浄液の隣接面３８への衝突が先行するように走査させることが好ましいが、従来のように、洗浄液か気体のどちらか一方を吐出しながら洗浄ヘッド２２０を走査させて、洗浄液による洗浄と、気体による洗浄液の除去・乾燥を別の走査で行ってもよい。   From the viewpoint of shortening the tact time, it is preferable that the cleaning of the final finishing is performed by discharging the cleaning liquid and the gas from the cleaning head 220 at the same time and scanning the cleaning liquid so that the collision with the adjacent surface 38 precedes. The cleaning head 220 may be scanned while discharging either one of the cleaning liquid or the gas, and the cleaning with the cleaning liquid and the removal / drying of the cleaning liquid with the gas may be performed in different scans.

なお気体による洗浄液の除去・乾燥を行う時の走査速度は、好ましくは、１０〜５００ｍｍ／ｓ、より好ましくは５０〜２５０ｍｍ／ｓとする。遅すぎると時間がかかりすぎ、早すぎると必要な除去・乾燥能力がえられない。   The scanning speed when removing and drying the cleaning liquid with gas is preferably 10 to 500 mm / s, more preferably 50 to 250 mm / s. If it is too late, it will take too much time, and if it is too early, the necessary removal and drying ability will not be obtained.

また洗浄液の吐出速度は好ましくは、０．１〜１０cc／ｓ、より好ましくは、０．５〜５cc／ｓ、気体の噴射圧力は好ましくは０．０１〜１ＭＰａ、より好ましくは０．０５〜０．５ＭＰａである。どちらも小さすぎると効果がなく、大きすぎると洗浄能力や除去能力の割には、洗浄液や気体を浪費して製造コストが高くなってしまって好ましくない。なお洗浄液の吐出にはポンプを使用して定容量供給するようにしてもよい。さらに洗浄液の吐出を圧送で行う場合は、付加圧力によって吐出量を調整してもよい。なお、洗浄液吐出を５ＭＰａ以上の高圧で行ってもよい。この場合は、動圧によって固化物をはぎ取ることになるので、固化物の位置にあわせて洗浄液を吐出することが必要で、洗浄液の隣接面３８での衝突位置が重要となる。洗浄液や気体の隣接面３８の衝突位置は、スリットノズル２０と洗浄ヘッド２２０の上下方向の相対位置を変えることで調整できるし、上述の洗浄液導通路２４０Ａ、Ｂの中心線が水平線となす角度θｓや、気体導通路の中心線が水平線となす角度θｋを変えても調整することができる。   The discharge rate of the cleaning liquid is preferably 0.1 to 10 cc / s, more preferably 0.5 to 5 cc / s, and the gas injection pressure is preferably 0.01 to 1 MPa, more preferably 0.05 to 0. .5 MPa. If both are too small, there is no effect, and if they are too large, the cleaning liquid and gas are wasted for the cleaning ability and removal ability, and the manufacturing cost is increased, which is not preferable. A constant volume may be supplied using a pump for discharging the cleaning liquid. Further, when the cleaning liquid is discharged by pressure feeding, the discharge amount may be adjusted by an additional pressure. Note that the cleaning liquid may be discharged at a high pressure of 5 MPa or more. In this case, since the solidified product is peeled off by the dynamic pressure, it is necessary to discharge the cleaning liquid in accordance with the position of the solidified product, and the collision position of the cleaning liquid on the adjacent surface 38 becomes important. The collision position of the adjacent surface 38 of the cleaning liquid or gas can be adjusted by changing the relative position of the slit nozzle 20 and the cleaning head 220 in the vertical direction, and the angle θs between the center lines of the cleaning liquid conduction paths 240A and B described above and the horizontal line. Alternatively, it can be adjusted by changing the angle θk formed by the center line of the gas conduction path and the horizontal line.

また洗浄液による洗浄の走査回数、気体による残存洗浄液除去・乾燥のための走査回数は、多ければ多いほど洗浄能力や、除去・乾燥能力が高くなるが、必要洗浄品位にあわせて定めることが好ましく、タクトタイムの点から、最小回数にすることはいうまでもない。   In addition, the number of scans for cleaning with the cleaning liquid and the number of scans for removing and drying the residual cleaning liquid with gas, the higher the cleaning capability and the removal / drying capability, but it is preferable to determine according to the required cleaning quality, Needless to say, the minimum number of times is required in terms of tact time.

上記の洗浄方法では、洗浄液を吐出しての洗浄後に、塗布液固化物の洗浄液への溶解のために待機させたが、この待機時間は好ましくは０．１〜１０秒、より好ましくは０．５〜３秒である。短すぎると固化物の溶解がほとんど行われず、長すぎるとタクトタイムが長くなって生産性を低下させる。   In the above-described cleaning method, after cleaning by discharging the cleaning liquid, the coating liquid solidified product was waited for dissolution in the cleaning liquid, and this standby time is preferably 0.1 to 10 seconds, more preferably 0.8. 5 to 3 seconds. If it is too short, the solidified product is hardly dissolved. If it is too long, the tact time becomes long and the productivity is lowered.

さらに液体流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂ、気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂは、いかなる形状であってもよいが、容易に製作でき洗浄効果も高いことから、円形穴か、矩形形状であることが好ましい。円形穴である場合は、好ましくは直径０．１〜２ｍｍ、より好ましくは直径０．２〜１ｍｍであれば、多数個あっても均一に吐出できる。矩形形状であれば、同様の理由から、間隙を好ましくは０．１〜１．５ｍｍ、より好ましくは０．２〜１ｍｍにする。   Furthermore, the liquid outlets 224A and 224A and the gas outlets 226A and 226B may have any shape. However, since the liquid outlets 224A and B and the gas outlets 226A and B can be easily manufactured and have a high cleaning effect, they are preferably circular holes or rectangular shapes. In the case of a circular hole, a diameter of 0.1 to 2 mm, more preferably 0.2 to 1 mm, can be uniformly ejected even if there are many. If it is a rectangular shape, for the same reason, the gap is preferably 0.1 to 1.5 mm, more preferably 0.2 to 1 mm.

なお液体流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂ、および気体噴出口２２６Ａ、Ｂが円形穴の時、そのスリットノズル２０の長手方向の配置ピッチは、小さい方が望ましいが、小さすぎると隣穴から吐出されるものと混合して、隣接面３８への衝突力が低下するので、穴と穴の間に０．５ｍｍ以上のすきまをあけることが好ましい。   When the liquid outlets 224A and 224A and the gas outlets 226A and B are circular holes, it is desirable that the arrangement pitch in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20 is small, but if it is too small, it is discharged from the adjacent hole. As a result of mixing, the impact force on the adjacent surface 38 decreases, so it is preferable to provide a clearance of 0.5 mm or more between the holes.

次に本発明の洗浄装置を備えたスリットコータ１での塗布方法について詳述する。
まずスリットコータ１の各動作部の原点復帰が行われると、門型ガントリー１０はスリットノズル２０を図１の左部にある拭き取りヘッド９２上方のスタンバイ位置に移動させる。ここで、タンク６４〜スリットノズル２０まで塗布液６６はすでに充満されており、タンク６４以降のスリットノズル２０までの残留エアーを排出する作業も既に終了している。この時の塗布液供給装置４０の状態は、シリンジ５２に塗布液６６が充填、吸引バルブ４４は閉、供給バルブ４２は開、そしてピストン５４は最下端の位置にあり、いつでも塗布液６６をスリットノズル２０に供給できるようになっている。 Next, the coating method with the slit coater 1 equipped with the cleaning device of the present invention will be described in detail.
First, when the origin of each operating part of the slit coater 1 is returned, the portal gantry 10 moves the slit nozzle 20 to a standby position above the wiping head 92 on the left side of FIG. Here, the coating liquid 66 is already filled from the tank 64 to the slit nozzle 20, and the operation of discharging the residual air to the slit nozzle 20 after the tank 64 has already been completed. At this time, the coating liquid supply device 40 is in a state where the syringe 52 is filled with the coating liquid 66, the suction valve 44 is closed, the supply valve 42 is opened, and the piston 54 is at the lowermost position. The nozzle 20 can be supplied.

次に、ステージ６の表面には図示しないリフトピンが上昇し、図示しないローダから基板Ａがリフトピン上部に載置される。そしてリフトピンを下降させて基板Ａをテーブル６上面に載置し、同時に吸着保持する。   Next, lift pins (not shown) rise on the surface of the stage 6, and the substrate A is placed on the lift pins from a loader (not shown). Then, the lift pins are lowered to place the substrate A on the upper surface of the table 6 and simultaneously sucked and held.

これと並行して、塗布液供給装置４０を稼働させて少量の塗布液６６を吐出後、駆動ユニット９６を駆動して、拭き取りヘッド９２を紙面に垂直方向（スリットノズル２０の長手方向）に移動させ、拭き取りヘッド９２をスリットノズル２０の長手方向端部の直下に移動させ停止させる。そしてスリットノズル２０を下降させてスリットノズル２０の吐出口３４を拭き取りヘッド９２に係合後、拭き取りヘッド９２をスリットノズル２０の長手方向に摺動させて、スリットノズル２０の吐出口３４付近をスリットノズル２０長手方向にわたって拭き取って、スリットノズル２０の初期化を実施する。初期化が完了したらスリットノズル２０を上昇させる。スリットノズル２０の上昇完了後、拭き取りヘッド９２を最初の位置まで戻す一方、これと並行して門型ガントリー１０を右側方向に駆動して、スリットノズル２０を基板Ａの塗布開始部の真上に移動させて停止させる。これらの動作の間、図示しない厚さセンサーによって基板Ａの基板厚さが測定される。測定した基板Ａの厚さデータを用い、上下昇降ユニット７０を駆動してスリットノズル２０を下降させ、スリットノズル２０の吐出口３４のある吐出口面３６を、基板Ａからあらかじめ与えたクリアランス分離れた位置まで近接させる。そしてシリンジポンプ５０のピストン５４を所定速度で上昇させ、スリットノズル２０から塗布液６６を吐出してスリットノズル２０と基板Ａとの間にビードＢを形成してから、門型ガントリー１０を所定速度でＸ方向に移動開始し、塗布液６６の基板Ａへの塗布を始めて、塗布膜Ｃを形成する。基板Ａの塗布終了部がスリットノズル２０の吐出口３４の位置にきたらピストン５４を停止させて塗布液６６の供給を停止し、つづいて上下昇降ユニット７０を駆動して、スリットノズル２０を上昇させる。これによって基板Ａとスリットノズル２０の間に形成されたビードＢが断ち切られ、塗布が終了する。塗布終了後も門型ガントリー１０は動きつづけ、終点位置にきたら一旦停止し、今度は原点位置に向かって逆方向にガントリー１０を移動させ、スリットノズル２０が拭き取りヘッド９２の上方のスタンバイ位置に来たら停止させる。続いて基板Ａの吸着を解除し、リフトピンを上昇させて基板Ａを持ち上げる。この時図示されないアンローダによって基板Ａの下面が保持され、次の工程に基板Ａを搬送する。   In parallel with this, the coating liquid supply device 40 is operated to discharge a small amount of the coating liquid 66, and then the drive unit 96 is driven to move the wiping head 92 in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface (longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20). Then, the wiping head 92 is moved immediately below the longitudinal end of the slit nozzle 20 and stopped. Then, after the slit nozzle 20 is lowered and the ejection port 34 of the slit nozzle 20 is engaged with the wiping head 92, the wiping head 92 is slid in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20 to slit the vicinity of the ejection port 34 of the slit nozzle 20. The slit nozzle 20 is initialized by wiping over the longitudinal direction of the nozzle 20. When the initialization is completed, the slit nozzle 20 is raised. After completion of the raising of the slit nozzle 20, the wiping head 92 is returned to the initial position, and in parallel with this, the portal gantry 10 is driven rightward so that the slit nozzle 20 is directly above the coating start portion of the substrate A. Move to stop. During these operations, the substrate thickness of the substrate A is measured by a thickness sensor (not shown). Using the measured thickness data of the substrate A, the vertical lift unit 70 is driven to lower the slit nozzle 20, and the discharge port surface 36 with the discharge port 34 of the slit nozzle 20 is separated from the substrate A by the clearance previously provided. Move close to the position. The piston 54 of the syringe pump 50 is raised at a predetermined speed, the coating liquid 66 is discharged from the slit nozzle 20 to form a bead B between the slit nozzle 20 and the substrate A, and then the portal gantry 10 is moved at a predetermined speed. Then, the movement in the X direction is started, and coating of the coating liquid 66 onto the substrate A is started to form the coating film C. When the coating end portion of the substrate A comes to the position of the discharge port 34 of the slit nozzle 20, the piston 54 is stopped to stop the supply of the coating liquid 66, and then the vertical lift unit 70 is driven to raise the slit nozzle 20. . As a result, the bead B formed between the substrate A and the slit nozzle 20 is cut off, and the application is completed. The gate type gantry 10 continues to move even after the application is finished, and once it reaches the end position, it is stopped. This time, the gantry 10 is moved in the opposite direction toward the origin position, and the slit nozzle 20 comes to the standby position above the wiping head 92. Stop it. Subsequently, the suction of the substrate A is released, and the lift pins are raised to lift the substrate A. At this time, the lower surface of the substrate A is held by an unloader (not shown), and the substrate A is transported to the next step.

これと並行して、供給バルブ４２を閉、吸引バルブ４４は開としてから、ピストン５４を一定速度で下降させ、タンク６４の塗布液６６をシリンジ５２に充填する。充填完了後、ピストン５４を停止させ、吸引バルブ４４を閉、供給バルブ４２を開として、次の基板Ａが来るのを待ち、同じ動作をくりかえす。   In parallel with this, the supply valve 42 is closed and the suction valve 44 is opened, and then the piston 54 is lowered at a constant speed to fill the syringe 52 with the coating liquid 66 in the tank 64. After the filling is completed, the piston 54 is stopped, the suction valve 44 is closed, the supply valve 42 is opened, the next substrate A is waited for, and the same operation is repeated.

一定枚数の塗布を行って、スリットノズル２０の吐出口３４の周辺部である吐出口面３６、隣接面３８、すなわち洗浄面に塗布液の固化物が発生し始めたら、シリンジ５２への塗布液６６の充填を完了して、吸引バルブ４４を閉、供給バルブ４２を開とした後に、門型ガントリー１０を駆動してスリットノズル２０を洗浄ヘッド２２０の上方に移動させる。上述した洗浄方法によってスリットノズル２０に付着した塗布液の固化物を排除完了後、門型カントリー１０を駆動してスリットノズル２０を拭き取りヘッド９２の上方にあるスタンバイ位置に移動させ、以降同じ塗布工程を繰り返す。すなわち、塗布液供給装置４０を稼働させて少量の塗布液を吐出する所から塗布工程を繰り返す。   When a certain number of coatings are performed and solidification of the coating liquid starts to occur on the discharge port surface 36 and the adjacent surface 38, that is, the cleaning surface, which are the peripheral portions of the discharge port 34 of the slit nozzle 20, the coating liquid to the syringe 52 is generated. After the filling of 66 is completed and the suction valve 44 is closed and the supply valve 42 is opened, the portal gantry 10 is driven to move the slit nozzle 20 above the cleaning head 220. After the solidification of the coating liquid adhering to the slit nozzle 20 is completely eliminated by the above-described cleaning method, the gate-type country 10 is driven to move the slit nozzle 20 to the standby position above the head 92, and thereafter the same coating process. repeat. That is, the coating process is repeated from the place where the coating liquid supply device 40 is operated to discharge a small amount of the coating liquid.

次に本発明になる別の実施態様である洗浄ヘッド３００について、図５と図６を参照しながら説明する。洗浄ヘッド３００は、洗浄ヘッド２２０の第１斜面２２８Ａ、Ｂ上に略一直線上に配置された洗浄液流出口２２４Ａ、Ｂを、第１斜面２２８Ａ、Ｂの上側に配置した第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂとその下側に配置した第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂに置き換え、さらに洗浄ヘッド２２０の第２斜面２３０Ａ、Ｂ上に略一直線上に配置された気体噴出口２２８Ａ、Ｂを、第２斜面２３０Ａ、Ｂの上側に配置した第１気体噴出口３０６Ａ、Ｂとその下側に配置した第２気体噴出口３０８Ａ、Ｂに置き換えたものである。この洗浄ヘッド３００にも、最下方部に排出口２３２が長手方向に伸びるように設けられている。この洗浄ヘッド３００は、第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂと第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂを有する洗浄機３１４と、第１気体噴出口３０６Ａ、Ｂと第２気体噴出口３０８Ａ、Ｂを有するは気体噴出器３１６と、が長手方向に直列状に並んで配置されて一体に構成されている。ここで第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂと第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂは、スリットノズル２０の長手方向で同位相とならないように、千鳥配置されている。同様に第１気体噴出口３０６Ａ、Ｂと第２気体噴出口３０８Ａ、Ｂも、スリットノズル２０の長手方向で同位相とならないように、千鳥配置されている。第１洗浄液流出口３０２の中心での長手方向に直交する断面である図６に示されている通り、第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂと第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂは、それぞれ洗浄液流出流路である第１洗浄液導通路３１０Ａ、Ｂ、第２洗浄液導通路３１２Ａ、Ｂを介してマニホールド２３６Ａ、Ｂに連通している。図示されていないが、同様に第１気体噴出口３０６Ａ、Ｂと第２気体噴出口３０８Ａ、Ｂも、それぞれ独立した２つの気体噴出流路である気体導通路を介してマニホールドに通じている。上記で、スリットノズル２０の長手方向で同位相としないというのは、第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂ、第１気体噴出口３０６Ａ、Ｂのそれぞれの長手方向の中心で、長手方向に直交する直線を引き、その直線（複数）上に、第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂ、第２液体流出口３０８Ａ、Ｂのそれぞれの長手方向の中心が重ならないということである。千鳥配置とは、第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂと第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂが上下に分かれているが、長手方向に異なる位相で配置されていることである。第１気体噴出口３０６Ａ、Ｂと第２気体噴出口３０８Ａ、Ｂについても同様である。その千鳥配置のパターンについては色々あるが、第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂ、第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂとも長手方向の中心間配置ピッチを同じＰｓとし、第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂに対して、第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂを長手方向にＰｓ／２だけずらして配置するのが、スリットノズル２０の隣接面３８上での洗浄液の衝突位置が確実に増加して好ましい。また、第１気体噴出口３０６Ａ、Ｂ、第２気体噴出口３０８Ａ、Ｂとも長手方向の中心間配置ピッチを同じＰｋとし、第１気体噴出口２３６Ａ、Ｂに対して、第２気体噴出口３０８Ａ、Ｂを長手方向にＰｋ／２だけずらして配置するのが、同様の理由で好ましい。なお第１斜面２２８Ａ、Ｂ上で、第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂと第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂとの間の上下方向の間隔は、第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂと第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂが干渉しないようにすることの他、特に制約はないが、流出口と流出口の間に１ｍｍ以上のすきまを設けることが望ましい。このことは、第２斜面２３０Ａ、Ｂ上で、第１気体噴出口３０６Ａ、Ｂと第２気体噴出口３０８Ａ、Ｂとの間の上下方向の間隔についても同様である。   Next, a cleaning head 300 according to another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The cleaning head 300 includes cleaning liquid outlets 224A and B arranged substantially in a straight line on the first inclined surfaces 228A and B of the cleaning head 220, and first cleaning liquid outlets 302A and B arranged on the upper side of the first inclined surfaces 228A and B. B and the second cleaning liquid outlets 304A, B arranged below the B, and further, the gas outlets 228A, B arranged in a substantially straight line on the second inclined surfaces 230A, B of the cleaning head 220 are replaced with the second inclined surfaces. 230A and B are replaced by the first gas jets 306A and B arranged on the upper side and the second gas jets 308A and B arranged on the lower side thereof. The cleaning head 300 is also provided with a discharge port 232 extending in the longitudinal direction at the lowermost portion. The cleaning head 300 includes a cleaning machine 314 having first cleaning liquid outlets 302A and B and second cleaning liquid outlets 304A and B, and first gas outlets 306A and B and second gas outlets 308A and B. The gas ejector 316 is arranged in series in the longitudinal direction and is integrally formed. Here, the first cleaning liquid outlets 302 </ b> A and 302 </ b> B and the second cleaning liquid outlets 304 </ b> A and B are staggered so as not to have the same phase in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20. Similarly, the first gas outlets 306 </ b> A and B and the second gas outlets 308 </ b> A and B are also staggered so as not to have the same phase in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20. As shown in FIG. 6, which is a cross section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction at the center of the first cleaning liquid outlet 302, the first cleaning liquid outlet 302A, B and the second cleaning liquid outlet 304A, B are respectively connected to the cleaning liquid outlet. The manifolds 236A and 236B communicate with each other via the first cleaning liquid conduction paths 310A and B and the second cleaning liquid conduction paths 312A and 3B. Although not shown, the first gas outlets 306A and 306B and the second gas outlets 308A and B are similarly connected to the manifold via gas conduction paths that are two independent gas ejection channels. In the above, not having the same phase in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20 is a straight line orthogonal to the longitudinal direction at the center of the longitudinal direction of each of the first cleaning liquid outlets 302A and 302B and the first gas outlets 306A and 306B. The longitudinal centers of the second cleaning liquid outlets 304A and 304B and the second liquid outlets 308A and 308B do not overlap with each other on the straight line (s). The staggered arrangement means that the first cleaning liquid outlets 302A and B and the second cleaning liquid outlets 304A and 304B are vertically separated, but are arranged in different phases in the longitudinal direction. The same applies to the first gas ejection ports 306A and B and the second gas ejection ports 308A and 308B. There are various patterns for the staggered arrangement, but the first cleaning liquid outlets 302A and 302B and the second cleaning liquid outlets 304A and B have the same central arrangement pitch in the longitudinal direction Ps, and the first cleaning liquid outlets 302A and 302B On the other hand, it is preferable that the second cleaning liquid outlets 304A and 304B be shifted by Ps / 2 in the longitudinal direction because the collision position of the cleaning liquid on the adjacent surface 38 of the slit nozzle 20 is surely increased. Also, the first gas jets 306A, B and the second gas jets 308A, B have the same center-to-center arrangement pitch Pk, and the second gas jets 308A with respect to the first gas jets 236A, 236B. , B is preferably shifted in the longitudinal direction by Pk / 2 for the same reason. On the first inclined surfaces 228A, B, the vertical spacing between the first cleaning liquid outlets 302A, B and the second cleaning liquid outlets 304A, B is the same as the first cleaning liquid outlets 302A, B and the second cleaning liquid flow. There is no particular restriction other than preventing the outlets 304A and 304 from interfering with each other, but it is desirable to provide a clearance of 1 mm or more between the outlet and the outlet. The same applies to the vertical spacing between the first gas jets 306A, B and the second gas jets 308A, B on the second slopes 230A, B.

再び図６を見ると、第１洗浄液導通路３１０Ａ、Ｂの中心線が水平線に対して傾斜している角度がθｓ1、第２洗浄液導通路３１２Ａ、Ｂの中心線が水平線に対して傾斜している角度がθｓ2と定められているのがわかる。θｓ1とθｓ2は２つの異なる洗浄液を吐出する吐出角度となるが、これらを調整して、第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂと第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂから吐出される洗浄液が、スリットノズル２０の長手方向に見て、それぞれ隣接面３８上の同じ位置に衝突してもよいし、異なる位置に衝突するようにしてもよい。隣接面３８上の同じ位置に洗浄液が衝突するようにすると、洗浄ヘッド３００が静止した状態で、上記２つの洗浄液流出口から吐出された洗浄液が、長手方向から見て隣接面３８の同じ位置に衝突していても、長手方向に直交する方向から見れば、第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂと第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂが千鳥配置されているのであるから、隣接面３８の異なる領域に衝突している。この状態で洗浄ヘッド３００をスリットノズル２０の長手方向に走査させると、洗浄液が衝突した箇所は略一直線上の領域となるが、スリットノズル２０の同一位置での洗浄液衝突回数が洗浄液吐出口が増加した分だけ多くなるのと、洗浄液の付着量もそれと同じ割合で増加するので、洗浄液による洗浄能力が向上し、好ましい。   Referring again to FIG. 6, the angle at which the center line of the first cleaning liquid conduction path 310A, B is inclined with respect to the horizontal line is θs1, and the center line of the second cleaning liquid conduction path 312A, B is inclined with respect to the horizontal line. It can be seen that the angle is defined as θs2. θs1 and θs2 are discharge angles at which two different cleaning liquids are discharged. By adjusting these, the cleaning liquid discharged from the first cleaning liquid outlets 302A and 302B and the second cleaning liquid outlets 304A and B is changed to the slit nozzle 20. When viewed in the longitudinal direction, the two may collide with the same position on the adjacent surface 38 or may collide with different positions. When the cleaning liquid collides with the same position on the adjacent surface 38, the cleaning liquid discharged from the two cleaning liquid outlets in the state where the cleaning head 300 is stationary is located at the same position on the adjacent surface 38 when viewed from the longitudinal direction. Even if there is a collision, the first cleaning liquid outlets 302A and 302B and the second cleaning liquid outlets 304A and B are staggered when viewed from the direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. There is a collision. When the cleaning head 300 is scanned in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20 in this state, the location where the cleaning liquid collides becomes a substantially straight area, but the number of cleaning liquid collisions at the same position of the slit nozzle 20 increases the cleaning liquid discharge port. Increasing the amount by this amount is preferable because the adhesion amount of the cleaning liquid also increases at the same rate, so that the cleaning ability of the cleaning liquid is improved.

また第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂと第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂから吐出される洗浄液が、スリットノズル２０の長手方向に見て、それぞれ隣接面３８上の別の位置に衝突するようにしても、衝突する領域が拡大し、これにより塗布液の固化物を動圧による衝突力によって除去する範囲が拡大するので、洗浄能力の向上に結びつき、好ましい。   Further, the cleaning liquid discharged from the first cleaning liquid outlets 302A and 302B and the second cleaning liquid outlets 304A and B, respectively, collides with another position on the adjacent surface 38 when viewed in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20. However, the collision area is enlarged, and thereby the range in which the solidified product of the coating liquid is removed by the collision force due to the dynamic pressure is increased, which leads to improvement in cleaning ability, which is preferable.

以上のことは第１気体噴出口３０６Ａ、Ｂ、第２気体噴出口３０８Ａ、Ｂから噴射される気体にも当てはまり、図示されていない２つの気体導通路の中心線が水平線に対して傾斜している角度θk1、θk2をそれぞれ調整して、第１気体噴出口３０６Ａ、Ｂ、第２気体噴出口３０８Ａ、Ｂから噴射される気体が、スリットノズル２０の長手方向に見て、それぞれ隣接面３８上の同じ位置に衝突するようにしてもよいし、異なる位置に衝突するようにしてもよい。ここで角度θk1、θk2は気体を吐出する２つの異なる吐出角度、または噴射角度となる。洗浄ヘッド３００がスリットノズル２０の長手方向に走査時に、前者の場合ではスリットノズル２０の同一位置での気体衝突回数が気体噴出口が増加した分だけ多くなるので、残存洗浄液の除去と乾燥能力が向上し、後者の場合でも隣接面３８上の異なる位置に気体が衝突するので、気体衝突領域が拡大し、同じように残存洗浄液の除去と乾燥能力が向上する。   The above also applies to the gas ejected from the first gas ejection ports 306A and 306B and the second gas ejection ports 308A and 308B, and the center lines of the two gas conduction paths (not shown) are inclined with respect to the horizontal line. By adjusting the angles θk1 and θk2 respectively, the gas injected from the first gas outlets 306A and 306B and the second gas outlets 308A and 308B, respectively, on the adjacent surface 38 as viewed in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20 You may make it collide at the same position, and you may make it collide at a different position. Here, the angles θk1 and θk2 are two different ejection angles or ejection angles for ejecting the gas. When the cleaning head 300 scans in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle 20, in the former case, the number of gas collisions at the same position of the slit nozzle 20 is increased by the increase of the gas outlet, so that the remaining cleaning liquid can be removed and dried. Even in the latter case, the gas collides with different positions on the adjacent surface 38, so that the gas collision area is expanded, and the removal of the remaining cleaning liquid and the drying ability are improved in the same manner.

洗浄ヘッド２２０でも高い洗浄能力があるが、洗浄ヘッド３００はさらに上記のように洗浄液流出口と気体流出口の配置を最適化したので、より一層の高い洗浄能力を有し、洗浄ヘッド３００の走査回数を少なくすることができるので、洗浄のタクトタイムが短縮され、その結果、塗布工程のタクトタイムを短くすることができて生産性を向上させることが可能となる。   Although the cleaning head 220 has a high cleaning capability, the cleaning head 300 further has a higher cleaning capability because the arrangement of the cleaning liquid outlet and the gas outlet is optimized as described above. Since the number of times can be reduced, the takt time for cleaning can be shortened. As a result, the takt time for the coating process can be shortened, and productivity can be improved.

なお、上述のように洗浄液流出口と気体噴出口の双方を千鳥配置してもよいし、どちらか一方だけを千鳥配置にしてもよい。また、第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂと第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂを同数にしてもよいし、図５に示すように異なる数にしてもよい。同様に第１気体噴出口３０６Ａ、Ｂと第２気体噴出口３０８Ａ、Ｂを同数にしてもよいし、異なる数にしてもよい。本実施態様例では、洗浄液流出口、気体噴出口ともそれぞれ第１洗浄液流出口３０２Ａ、Ｂと第２洗浄液流出口３０４Ａ、Ｂの２列、第１気体噴出口３０６Ａ、Ｂと第２気体噴出口３０８Ａ、Ｂの２列であるが、長手方向に同位相とならない千鳥配置を維持して列数をさらに増やしてもよい。列数が増える分だけ洗浄能力がさらに向上する。   As described above, both the cleaning liquid outlet and the gas outlet may be staggered, or only one of them may be staggered. Further, the first cleaning liquid outlets 302A and 302B and the second cleaning liquid outlets 304A and 304B may be the same number or different numbers as shown in FIG. Similarly, the first gas outlets 306A and 306B and the second gas outlets 308A and B may be the same number or different numbers. In this embodiment, the cleaning liquid outlet and the gas outlet are both the first cleaning liquid outlets 302A and 302B and the second cleaning liquid outlet 304A and B, the first gas outlets 306A and B and the second gas outlet, respectively. Although there are two rows of 308A and B, the number of rows may be further increased while maintaining a staggered arrangement that does not have the same phase in the longitudinal direction. The cleaning ability is further improved by the increase in the number of rows.

図７はさらに本発明になる別の洗浄ヘッド４００を示したもので、ブロック４０２Ａ、Ｂの洗浄斜面４０８Ａ、Ｂ上に、長手方向に分けて直線上に配置された液体流出口４０４Ａ、Ｂと気体噴出口４０６Ａ、Ｂにパイプ４１０を付加している。この洗浄ヘッド４００の最下方部となるブロック４０２Ａ、Ｂの間にも、排出口２３２が長手方向に伸びるように設けられている。このパイプ４１０によって、洗浄機４１２を構成する液体流出口４０４Ａ、Ｂと気体噴出器４１４を構成する気体噴出口４０６Ａ、Ｂが実質的に洗浄斜面４０８Ａ、Ｂより突き出ることになり、洗浄斜面４０８Ａ、Ｂ上に塗布液や洗浄に使用した洗浄液が落下しても、それらで液体流出口４０４Ａ、Ｂと気体噴出口４０６Ａ、Ｂが汚染されることが防止できる。その結果、気体噴出口４０６Ａ、Ｂに洗浄液があって、気体の噴射によって洗浄液がミスト状になり周囲のものを汚染するといった不都合を皆無にできる。パイプ４１０を付加することで、洗浄ヘッド２２０や洗浄ヘッド３００に設けられている溝２３４Ａ、Ｂを省略してもよい。
なお洗浄ヘッド４００に使用されているパイプ４１０を洗浄ヘッド２２０や洗浄ヘッド３００の洗浄液流出口や気体噴出口に取り付けてもよく、洗浄ヘッド４００と同様の効果がえられる。 FIG. 7 further shows another cleaning head 400 according to the present invention. The liquid outlets 404A, B are arranged on the cleaning slopes 408A, B of the blocks 402A, B on the straight line in the longitudinal direction. Pipes 410 are added to the gas ejection ports 406A and 406B. A discharge port 232 is also provided between the blocks 402 </ b> A and B which are the lowermost portions of the cleaning head 400 so as to extend in the longitudinal direction. By this pipe 410, the liquid outlets 404A and B constituting the cleaning machine 412 and the gas outlets 406A and B constituting the gas ejector 414 substantially protrude from the cleaning slopes 408A and B, and the cleaning slope 408A and Even if the coating liquid or the cleaning liquid used for cleaning falls on B, the liquid outlets 404A, B and the gas outlets 406A, B can be prevented from being contaminated by them. As a result, there is no inconvenience that the cleaning liquid is present at the gas ejection ports 406A and 406B, and the cleaning liquid becomes mist-like due to gas injection and contaminates the surroundings. By adding the pipe 410, the grooves 234A and 234B provided in the cleaning head 220 and the cleaning head 300 may be omitted.
The pipe 410 used in the cleaning head 400 may be attached to the cleaning liquid outlet and the gas jet outlet of the cleaning head 220 and the cleaning head 300, and the same effect as the cleaning head 400 can be obtained.

以上の洗浄ヘッド３００、洗浄ヘッド４００を使用した洗浄方法については、上述した洗浄ヘッド２２０を使用した洗浄方法と全く同じである。いずれの洗浄ヘッドも、洗浄液と気体の両方を同時に吐出しても、移動方向に対して洗浄液が気体よりも先行してスリットノズル２０の隣接面３８に付着するように長手方向に走査させて洗浄を行うことができるので、洗浄液による洗浄と気体による残存洗浄液の除去と乾燥を同時に行うことができ、洗浄のタクトタイムを大幅に短縮することができるとともに、優れた洗浄品位をえることができる。   The cleaning method using the cleaning head 300 and the cleaning head 400 is exactly the same as the cleaning method using the cleaning head 220 described above. Even if both cleaning heads discharge both cleaning liquid and gas at the same time, cleaning is performed by scanning in the longitudinal direction so that the cleaning liquid adheres to the adjacent surface 38 of the slit nozzle 20 ahead of the gas in the moving direction. Therefore, the cleaning with the cleaning liquid, the removal of the remaining cleaning liquid with the gas and the drying can be performed simultaneously, the tact time of the cleaning can be greatly shortened, and an excellent cleaning quality can be obtained.

なお拭き取りヘッド９２でスリットノズル２０の拭取りを行うと、拭き取りヘッド９２の上側に拭き取った塗布液があふれて拭き残りが、スリットノズル２０の隣接面３８上にライン上に残存する。この拭き残りに、洗浄ヘッド２２０や洗浄ヘッド３００から吐出される洗浄液が直撃する、あるいはその拭き残りの上方の位置で洗浄液が隣接面３８に衝突するように洗浄液流出口や気体噴出口を配置すれば、容易に本発明の洗浄ヘッドで除去することができる。   When the slit nozzle 20 is wiped by the wiping head 92, the coating liquid wiped on the upper side of the wiping head 92 overflows and the remaining wiping remains on the line on the adjacent surface 38 of the slit nozzle 20. The cleaning liquid outlet and the gas outlet are arranged so that the cleaning liquid discharged from the cleaning head 220 or the cleaning head 300 directly hits the remaining wiping, or the cleaning liquid collides with the adjacent surface 38 at a position above the remaining wiping. Thus, it can be easily removed by the cleaning head of the present invention.

また洗浄ヘッド２２０、洗浄ヘッド３００、洗浄ヘッド４００による洗浄を一定枚数の塗布ごとに行う時、好ましくは５〜５０枚、より好ましくは１０〜３０枚塗布ごとに洗浄を行う。この範囲より少ないと洗浄回数が頻繁となって塗布工程のタクトタイムが長くなって生産性が低下し、この範囲より多いと塗布液の固化が強固となって、洗浄液による溶解が容易に行えないために、固化物が残存してしまうことがある。   Further, when the cleaning by the cleaning head 220, the cleaning head 300, and the cleaning head 400 is performed for every fixed number of coatings, the cleaning is performed preferably every 5 to 50 sheets, more preferably every 10 to 30 sheets. If it is less than this range, the number of washings will be frequent and the takt time of the coating process will be prolonged, resulting in reduced productivity. If it is more than this range, solidification of the coating solution will be strong and dissolution with the cleaning solution will not be easy. Therefore, the solidified product may remain.

以上説明した本発明が適用できる塗布液としては粘度が１〜１００mPaS、より望ましくは１〜５０mPaSであり、ニュートニアンであることが塗布性から好ましいが、チキソ性を有する塗布液にも適用できる。とりわけ溶剤に揮発性の高いもの、たとえばＰＧＭＥＡ、酢酸ブチル、乳酸エチル等を使用して、乾燥・固化し易い塗布液を塗布するときに有効である。具体的に適用できる塗布液の例としては、上記にあげたカラーフィルター用のブラックマトリックス、ＲＧＢ色画素形成用塗布液の他、レジスト液、オーバーコート材、柱形成材料、ＴＦＴアレイ基板用のポジレジスト等がある。基板である被塗布部材としてはガラスの他にアルミ等の金属板、セラミック板、シリコンウェハー等を用いてもよい。さらに使用する塗布状態と塗布速度が０．１ｍ／分〜１０ｍ／分、より好ましくは０．５ｍ／分〜６ｍ／分、スリットノズル２０のスリット間隙は５０〜１０００μｍ、より好ましくは８０〜２００μｍ、塗布厚さがウェット状態で１〜５０μｍ、より好ましくは２〜２０μｍである。   The coating liquid to which the present invention described above can be applied has a viscosity of 1 to 100 mPaS, more preferably 1 to 50 mPaS and is preferably Newtonian from the viewpoint of coating properties, but can also be applied to coating solutions having thixotropy. In particular, it is effective when a highly volatile solvent such as PGMEA, butyl acetate, ethyl lactate or the like is used to apply a coating solution that is easily dried and solidified. Specific examples of the coating solution that can be applied include the black matrix for color filters and the coating solution for forming RGB color pixels described above, as well as a resist solution, an overcoat material, a column forming material, and a positive electrode for a TFT array substrate. There are resists. As a member to be coated which is a substrate, a metal plate such as aluminum, a ceramic plate, a silicon wafer or the like may be used in addition to glass. Further, the application state and application speed to be used are 0.1 m / min to 10 m / min, more preferably 0.5 m / min to 6 m / min, the slit gap of the slit nozzle 20 is 50 to 1000 μm, more preferably 80 to 200 μm, The coating thickness in the wet state is 1 to 50 μm, more preferably 2 to 20 μm.

以下実施例により本発明を具体的に説明する。
３６０×４６５ｍｍで厚さ０．７ｍｍの無アルカリガラス基板を洗浄装置に投入した。ウェット洗浄によって基板上のパーティクルを除去後、スリットコータ１でブラックマトリックス材を１０μｍ基板全面に塗布した。この時のスリットノズルと基板間のクリアランスは１２０μｍ、塗布速度は３ｍ／分で、塗布のタクトタイムは３０秒であった。塗布前にはシリコンゴム製の拭き取りヘッドでスリットノズルの吐出口の拭取りを、速度２００mm／ｓで毎回行った。ブラックマトリックス材には、遮光材にカーボンブラック、バインダーにアクリル樹脂、溶剤にプロピレングリコールモノメチルエーテルアセテート（ＰＧＭＥＡ）を使用し、さらに感光剤を添加して、固形分濃度１５％、粘度４mPasに調整したペーストを用いた。なお、スリットノズルは吐出口の間隙が１００μｍで、長さが３６０ｍｍ、吐出口面３６の幅が１ｍｍ、吐出口面３６と隣接面３８のなす角度が４５度のものを使用した。さらにこのブラックマトリックス塗布工程では、３０枚ブラックマトリックス材を塗布するごとに、洗浄装置２００でスリットノズルの吐出口先端部を洗浄液と窒素ガスで洗浄した。洗浄液にはＰＧＭＥＡを使用した。洗浄装置の洗浄ヘッドは、洗浄液流出口と気体噴出口がスリットノズルの長手方向に配置され、最寄りの洗浄液流出口と気体噴出口の間に、スリットノズルの長手方向長さが１０ｍｍで、深さ１０ｍｍの溝を設けた。さらにこの洗浄ヘッドには、洗浄液流出口を直径０．４ｍｍで、２ｍｍピッチにて７個一直線上に配置し、気体噴出口を直径０．５ｍｍで３ｍｍピッチにて３個一直線上に配置した。なお排出口２３２は長手方向に６０mm、塗布方向（Ｘ方向）に１０mmの形状であった。この洗浄ヘッドを用いた洗浄条件については、洗浄液の吐出量を１cc／ｓ、窒素ガスの付加圧力０．１ＭＰａにし、まず洗浄液のみを吐出して洗浄ヘッドの走査を１回行い、これが終了後３秒後に、洗浄液と窒素ガスを同時に吐出しながら洗浄ヘッドの走査を１回行った。走査速度は１００ｍｍ／ｓであった。洗浄完了後は塗布液や洗浄液が除去され、固化物等もないこと確認した。また、洗浄完了後には、必ずペーストを２ccだけスリットノズルより吐出し、シリコンゴム製の拭き取りヘッドでスリットノズルの吐出口の拭取りを、長手方向に速度２００mm／ｓで行い、初期化を行った。この洗浄後の初期化によって、洗浄直後の塗布時に塗布欠点がなく、塗布開始部の膜厚分布も正常となることを確認した。 The present invention will be specifically described below with reference to examples.
A non-alkali glass substrate having a thickness of 360 × 465 mm and a thickness of 0.7 mm was put into a cleaning apparatus. After removing particles on the substrate by wet cleaning, a black matrix material was applied to the entire surface of the 10 μm substrate by the slit coater 1. At this time, the clearance between the slit nozzle and the substrate was 120 μm, the coating speed was 3 m / min, and the tact time of coating was 30 seconds. Before coating, the discharge port of the slit nozzle was wiped with a silicon rubber wiping head every time at a speed of 200 mm / s. For the black matrix material, carbon black was used as the light shielding material, acrylic resin was used as the binder, propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA) was used as the solvent, and a photosensitizer was added to adjust the solid content concentration to 15% and the viscosity to 4 mPas. A paste was used. A slit nozzle having a discharge port gap of 100 μm, a length of 360 mm, a width of the discharge port surface 36 of 1 mm, and an angle between the discharge port surface 36 and the adjacent surface 38 of 45 degrees was used. Further, in this black matrix application process, every time 30 black matrix materials were applied, the tip of the discharge port of the slit nozzle was cleaned with the cleaning liquid and nitrogen gas by the cleaning device 200. PGMEA was used for the cleaning solution. In the cleaning head of the cleaning apparatus, the cleaning liquid outlet and the gas outlet are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the slit nozzle, and the longitudinal length of the slit nozzle is 10 mm between the nearest cleaning liquid outlet and the gas outlet, and the depth A 10 mm groove was provided. Further, in this cleaning head, seven cleaning liquid outlets were arranged on a straight line with a diameter of 0.4 mm and at a pitch of 2 mm, and three gas outlets were arranged on a straight line with a diameter of 0.5 mm and a pitch of 3 mm. The discharge port 232 had a shape of 60 mm in the longitudinal direction and 10 mm in the coating direction (X direction). As for the cleaning conditions using this cleaning head, the discharge amount of the cleaning liquid is set to 1 cc / s and the additional pressure of nitrogen gas is set to 0.1 MPa. First, only the cleaning liquid is discharged and the cleaning head is scanned once. After a second, the cleaning head was scanned once while simultaneously discharging the cleaning liquid and nitrogen gas. The scanning speed was 100 mm / s. After the cleaning was completed, it was confirmed that the coating solution and the cleaning solution were removed and there was no solidified product. In addition, after the cleaning was completed, only 2 cc of paste was discharged from the slit nozzle, and the silicon nozzle wiping head wiped the slit nozzle outlet at a speed of 200 mm / s in the longitudinal direction for initialization. . By this initialization after cleaning, it was confirmed that there was no coating defect at the time of coating immediately after cleaning, and that the film thickness distribution at the coating start part became normal.

次にブラックマトリックス塗布工程で塗布された基板を、３０秒で６５Ｐａに到達する真空乾燥を６０秒行ってから、１００℃のホットプレートで１０分間さらに乾燥した。ついで露光・現像・剥離を行った後、２６０℃のホットプレートで３０分加熱して、キュアを行い、基板の幅方向にピッチが２５４μｍ、基板の長手方向にピッチが８５μｍ、線幅が２０μｍ、ＲＧＢ画素数が４８００（基板長手方向）×１２００（基板幅方向）、対角の長さが２０インチ（基板幅方向に３０５ｍｍ、基板長手方向に４０６ｍｍ）となる格子形状で、厚さが１μｍとなるブラックマトリックス膜の格子を作成した。   Next, the substrate coated in the black matrix coating process was vacuum-dried for 60 seconds to reach 65 Pa in 30 seconds, and then further dried on a hot plate at 100 ° C. for 10 minutes. Next, after performing exposure, development, and peeling, the substrate is heated on a hot plate at 260 ° C. for 30 minutes to cure, and the pitch is 254 μm in the width direction of the substrate, the pitch is 85 μm in the longitudinal direction of the substrate, the line width is 20 μm, The number of RGB pixels is 4800 (substrate longitudinal direction) × 1200 (substrate width direction), the diagonal length is 20 inches (305 mm in the substrate width direction, 406 mm in the substrate longitudinal direction), and the thickness is 1 μm. A black matrix film lattice was created.

この基板をウェット洗浄後、Ｒ色用塗布液を厚さ２０μｍ、スリットノズルと基板との間のクリアランス１００μｍ、門型ガントリー１０移動速度３ｍ／分にて塗布した。Ｒ色用塗布液はアクリル樹脂をバインダー、ＰＧＭＥＡを溶媒、ピグメントレッド１７７を顔料にして固形分濃度１２％で混合し、さらに粘度を５mPaSに調整した感光性のものであった。塗布した基板は、３０秒で６５Ｐａに到達する真空乾燥を６０秒行ってから、９０℃のホットプレートで１０分間さらに乾燥した。ついで露光・現像・剥離を行って、Ｒ画素部にのみ厚さ２μｍのＲ色塗膜を残し、２６０℃のホットプレートで３０分加熱して、キュアを行なった。つづいてブラックマトリックス、Ｒ色の塗膜を形成した基板に、Ｇ色用塗布液を厚さ２０μｍ、スリットノズルと基板との間のクリアランス１００μｍ、門型ガントリー１０の移動速度３ｍ／分にて塗布後、３０秒で６５Ｐａに到達する真空乾燥を６０秒行ってから、１００℃のホットプレートで１０分間さらに乾燥した。   After the substrate was wet washed, the R color coating solution was applied at a thickness of 20 μm, a clearance between the slit nozzle and the substrate of 100 μm, and a portal gantry 10 moving speed of 3 m / min. The coating solution for R color was a photosensitive solution prepared by mixing an acrylic resin as a binder, PGMEA as a solvent, and Pigment Red 177 as a pigment and mixing them at a solid concentration of 12%, and adjusting the viscosity to 5 mPaS. The coated substrate was vacuum-dried to reach 65 Pa in 30 seconds for 60 seconds, and further dried on a 90 ° C. hot plate for 10 minutes. Next, exposure, development, and peeling were performed to leave an R color coating film having a thickness of 2 μm only on the R pixel portion, and then cured by heating on a hot plate at 260 ° C. for 30 minutes. Subsequently, a G-color coating solution is applied to a substrate on which a black matrix and an R color coating film are formed, with a thickness of 20 μm, a clearance between the slit nozzle and the substrate of 100 μm, and a moving speed of the portal gantry 10 of 3 m / min. Thereafter, vacuum drying that reached 65 Pa in 30 seconds was performed for 60 seconds, followed by further drying on a hot plate at 100 ° C. for 10 minutes.

ついで露光・現像・剥離を行って、Ｇ色画素部にのみ厚さ２μｍのＧ色塗膜を残し、２６０度のホットプレートで３０分加熱して、キュアを行なった。さらにブラックマトリックス、Ｒ色、Ｇ色の塗膜を形成した基板に、Ｂ色用塗布液を厚さ２０μｍ、スリットノズルと基板との間のクリアランス１００μｍ、門型ガントリー１０の移動速度３ｍ／分にて塗布し、３０秒で６５Ｐａに到達する真空乾燥を６０秒行ってから、１００℃のホットプレートで１０分間さらに乾燥した。ついで露光・現像・剥離を行って、Ｂ色画素部にのみ厚さ２μｍのＢ色塗膜を残し、２６０℃のホットプレートで３０分加熱して、キュアを行なった。なお、Ｇ色用塗布液はＲ色用塗布液で顔料をピグメントグリーン３６にして固形分濃度１５％で粘度を３mPaSに調整したもの、Ｂ色用塗布液にはＲ色用塗布液で顔料をピグメントブルー１５にして固形分濃度１４％で粘度を４mPaSに調整したものであった。Ｒ、Ｇ、Ｂ色塗布液の塗布はいずれも、ブラックマトリックス塗布工程と同じ形状のスリットノズルと拭取りヘッドを用い、塗布前に必ずスリットノズルの吐出口付近を拭取りヘッドで拭取り、すなわち初期化を行った。また、Ｒ、Ｇ、Ｂ色塗布工程とも、ブラックマトリックス塗布工程と同じ洗浄装置で、同じ洗浄条件にて３０枚ごとにスリットノズルの洗浄を行うとともに、ブラックマトリックス塗布工程と同じ条件にて、洗浄後に必ず各色塗布液を吐出後にシリコンゴム製の拭き取りヘッドで拭取りを行い、初期化を行った。この洗浄装置による洗浄を行っていない場合は、塗布液の固化物によるすじが頻繁に発生し、ブラックマトリックス、Ｒ、Ｇ、Ｂのいずれかの塗布工程を止めて、スリットノズルの吐出口近辺を、溶剤をしみこませた布で拭いてすじの発生をなくしていたが、上記の洗浄液と気体を使用した洗浄を用いることで、すじの発生が完全になくなり、塗布工程を一時中断しての洗浄作業も皆無となり、生産性が３０％向上した。また洗浄後の初期化によって、洗浄直後の塗布時の塗布開始部に洗浄液が混じらず、そのため塗布欠点もなく、さらに塗布開始部の膜厚分布も正常となることを確認した。   Next, exposure, development, and peeling were performed to leave a G-color coating film having a thickness of 2 μm only on the G-color pixel portion, and curing was performed by heating on a 260 ° C. hot plate for 30 minutes. Furthermore, on the substrate on which the black matrix, R color and G color coating films are formed, the coating solution for B color is 20 μm thick, the clearance between the slit nozzle and the substrate is 100 μm, and the moving speed of the portal gantry 10 is 3 m / min. The coating was applied, and vacuum drying was performed for 60 seconds to reach 65 Pa in 30 seconds, followed by further drying on a hot plate at 100 ° C. for 10 minutes. Next, exposure, development, and peeling were performed to leave a 2 μm-thick B-color coating film only on the B-color pixel portion, and curing was performed by heating on a hot plate at 260 ° C. for 30 minutes. The G color coating solution is an R color coating solution with pigment green 36 and the viscosity is adjusted to 3 mPaS with a solid concentration of 15%. The B color coating solution is an R color coating solution. Pigment Blue 15 having a solid concentration of 14% and a viscosity adjusted to 4 mPaS. All of the R, G, and B color coating solutions are applied using a slit nozzle and a wiping head having the same shape as the black matrix coating process, and before the coating, the vicinity of the slit nozzle outlet is always wiped with the wiping head. Initialization was performed. In the R, G, and B color coating processes, the slit nozzle is cleaned every 30 sheets under the same cleaning conditions with the same cleaning device as the black matrix coating process, and the cleaning is performed under the same conditions as the black matrix coating process. After that, after each color coating solution was discharged, it was wiped with a silicon rubber wiping head for initialization. When cleaning is not performed by this cleaning device, streaks due to the solidified coating liquid frequently occur, stop the coating process of any of the black matrix, R, G, and B, and close the slit nozzle discharge area. Wipe with a cloth soaked in solvent to eliminate streaks. By using the above cleaning solution and gas cleaning, streaks are completely eliminated, and the coating process is temporarily suspended. There was no work and productivity was improved by 30%. Further, it was confirmed that the cleaning liquid was not mixed in the coating start part at the time of coating immediately after cleaning because of the initialization after cleaning, so that there was no coating defect and the film thickness distribution at the coating start part became normal.

以上ブラックマトリックスにＲＧＢ色を着色したものに、柱材とオーバーコート材を塗布後、最後にＩＴＯをスパッタリングで付着させた。この製造方法にて、１０００枚のカラーフィルターを作成した。得られたカラーフィルターは、塗布むらがなく、色度も基板全面にわたって均一で、品質的に申し分ないものであった。   As described above, the column material and the overcoat material were applied to the black matrix colored with RGB, and finally ITO was deposited by sputtering. With this manufacturing method, 1000 color filters were produced. The obtained color filter had no coating unevenness, the chromaticity was uniform over the entire surface of the substrate, and the quality was satisfactory.

さらに、このカラーフィルターをＴＦＴアレイを形成した基板と重ね合わせ、オーブン中で加圧しながら１６０℃で９０分間加熱して、シール剤を硬化させた。このセルに液晶注入を行った後、紫外線硬化樹脂により液晶注入口を封口した。次に、偏光板をセルの２枚のガラス基板の外側に貼り付け、さらに、得られたセルをモジュール化して、液晶表示装置を完成させた。得られた液晶表示装置は色濃度が均一で欠点もなく、品質的に申し分ないものであった。   Further, this color filter was superposed on the substrate on which the TFT array was formed, and heated at 160 ° C. for 90 minutes while being pressurized in an oven to cure the sealing agent. After liquid crystal injection into this cell, the liquid crystal injection port was sealed with an ultraviolet curable resin. Next, a polarizing plate was attached to the outside of the two glass substrates of the cell, and the obtained cell was modularized to complete a liquid crystal display device. The obtained liquid crystal display device had a uniform color density, no defects, and was satisfactory in quality.

本発明に係る洗浄装置を含むスリットコータの概略正面図である。1 is a schematic front view of a slit coater including a cleaning device according to the present invention. 本発明にかかる洗浄ヘッドの拡大概略斜視図である。It is an expansion schematic perspective view of the washing head concerning the present invention. スリットノズルの洗浄装置の概略正面断面図である。It is a schematic front sectional drawing of the cleaning apparatus of a slit nozzle. 図３の概略側面図であるFIG. 4 is a schematic side view of FIG. 3. 本発明になる別の洗浄ヘッドの拡大概略斜視図である。It is an expansion schematic perspective view of another washing head which becomes this invention. 図５の概略正面断面図である。FIG. 6 is a schematic front sectional view of FIG. 5. 本発明になるさらに別の洗浄ヘッドの拡大概略斜視図である。FIG. 6 is an enlarged schematic perspective view of still another cleaning head according to the present invention.

符号の説明Explanation of symbols

１ スリットコータ
２ 基台
４ ガイドレール
６ ステージ
１０ 門型ガントリー
２０ スリットノズル（塗布器）
２２ フロントリップ
２４ リアリップ
２６ マニホールド
２８ スリット
３２ シム
３４ 吐出口
３６ 吐出口面
３８ 隣接面
４０ 塗布液供給装置
４２ 供給バルブ
４４ 吸引バルブ
４６ フィルター
５０ シリンジポンプ
５２ シリンジ
５４ ピストン
５６ 本体
６０ 供給ホース
６２ 吸引ホース
６４ タンク
６６ 塗布液
６８ 圧空源
７０ 上下昇降ユニット
７２ モータ
７４ ガイド
７６ ボールネジ
７８ 昇降台
８０ 吊り下げ保持台
９０ 拭き取りユニット
９２ 拭き取りヘッド
９４ ブラケット
９６ スライダー
９８ 駆動ユニット
１００ トレイ
１０２ 台
１１０ 制御装置
１１２ 操作盤
２００ 洗浄装置
２０２ トレイ
２０４ ブラケット
２０６ スライダー
２０８ 駆動ユニット
２１０ 台
２１２ 液体配管
２１４ 液体排出管
２１６ 気体排出管
２１８ 気体配管
２２０ 洗浄ヘッド
２２２Ａ、Ｂ ブロック
２２４Ａ、Ｂ 洗浄液流出口
２２６Ａ、Ｂ 気体噴出口
２２８Ａ、Ｂ 第１斜面
２３０Ａ、Ｂ 第２斜面
２３２ 排出口
２３３ 洗浄機
２３４Ａ、Ｂ 溝
２３５ 気体噴出器
２３６Ａ、Ｂ マニホールド
２３８ 長穴
２４０Ａ、Ｂ 洗浄液導通路
２４２ 流量調整装置
２４４ 圧力調整装置
２５０ 衝突領域
２６０ 洗浄液配管
２６２ バルブ
２６４ 洗浄液タンク
２６６ 洗浄液
２６８ 圧空源
２７０ 気体液配管
２７２ バルブ
２７４ 気体源
３００ 洗浄ヘッド
３０２Ａ、Ｂ 第１洗浄液流出口
３０４Ａ、Ｂ 第２洗浄液流出口
３０６Ａ、Ｂ 第１気体噴出口
３０８Ａ、Ｂ 第２気体噴出口
３１０Ａ、Ｂ 第１洗浄液導通路
３１２Ａ、Ｂ 第２洗浄液導通路
３１４ 洗浄機
３１６ 気体噴出器
４００ 洗浄ヘッド
４０２Ａ、Ｂ ブロック
４０４Ａ、Ｂ 洗浄液流出口
４０６Ａ、Ｂ 気体噴出口
４０８Ａ、Ｂ 洗浄斜面
４１０ パイプ
４１２ 洗浄機
４１４ 気体噴出器
Ａ 基板（被塗布部材）
Ｂ ビード
Ｃ 塗布膜
Ｅ 領域
Ｐ１ 洗浄ヘッド２２０の原点位置
Ｐ２ 洗浄ヘッド２２０の待機位置
Ｗｎ 洗浄ヘッド２２０の長手方向長さ
Ｗｔ スリットノズルの長手方向全長
θｓ 洗浄液導通路２４０Ａ、Ｂの中心線が水平線となす角度
θｓ1 第１洗浄液導通路３１０Ａ、Ｂの中心線が水平線となす角度
θｓ2 第２洗浄液導通路３１２Ａ、Ｂの中心線が水平線となす角度 1 slit coater 2 base 4 guide rail 6 stage 10 portal gantry 20 slit nozzle (applicator)
22 Front lip 24 Rear lip 26 Manifold 28 Slit 32 Shim 34 Discharge port 36 Discharge port surface 38 Adjacent surface 40 Coating liquid supply device 42 Supply valve 44 Suction valve 46 Filter 50 Syringe pump 52 Syringe 54 Piston 56 Main body
60 Supply hose 62 Suction hose 64 Tank 66 Coating liquid 68 Air pressure source
70 Vertical Lifting Unit 72 Motor 74 Guide 76 Ball Screw 78 Lifting Base 80 Suspension Holding Base 90 Wiping Unit 92 Wiping Head 94 Bracket 96 Slider 98 Drive Unit 100 Tray 102 Base 110 Control Device 112 Operation Panel 200 Cleaning Device 202 Tray 204 Bracket 206 Slider 208 Drive unit 210 Base 212 Liquid pipe 214 Liquid discharge pipe 216 Gas discharge pipe 218 Gas pipe 220 Cleaning head 222A, B block 224A, B Cleaning liquid outlet 226A, B gas outlet 228A, B first slope 230A, B second slope 232 Discharge port 233 Washing machine 234A, B groove 235 Gas ejector 236A, B manifold 238 Long hole 240A, B Cleaning liquid conduction path 242 Flow rate adjusting device 244 Pressure adjusting device 250 Area 260 Cleaning liquid piping 262 Valve 264 Cleaning liquid tank 266 Cleaning liquid 268 Pressure air source 270 Gas liquid piping 272 Valve 274 Gas source 300 Cleaning head 302A, B First cleaning liquid outlet 304A, B Second cleaning liquid outlet 306A, B First gas outlet 308A, B second gas outlet 310A, B first cleaning liquid conduction path 312A, B second cleaning liquid conduction path 314 Cleaning machine 316 Gas ejector 400 Cleaning head 402A, B block 404A, B cleaning liquid outlet 406A, B gas outlet 408A, B Cleaning slope 410 Pipe 412 Cleaning machine 414 Gas ejector A Substrate (coating member)
B Bead C Coating film E region P1 Origin position of cleaning head 220 P2 Standby position of cleaning head 220 Wn Longitudinal length of cleaning head 220 Wt Total longitudinal length of slit nozzle θs The central lines of cleaning liquid conduction paths 240A and B are horizontal lines Angle θs1 Angle formed by the center line of the first cleaning liquid conduction paths 310A and B being a horizontal line θs2 Angle formed by the center line of the second cleaning liquid conduction paths 312A and B being a horizontal line

Claims (12)

長手方向に延在または配列された塗液を吐出する吐出口を具備した塗布器の少なくとも吐出口面およびそれに隣接する面（以下、これを総称して洗浄面という。）を洗浄する塗布器の洗浄方法であって、複数の洗浄液流出口を有する洗浄機と、複数の気体噴出口を有する気体噴出器を前記塗布器の長手方向に並べて配置するとともに、洗浄機と気体噴出器を長手方向に走査させつつ、洗浄機から該隣接面に向けて洗浄液を供給し、続いて前記気体噴出器から該隣接面に向けて気体を噴出させて、洗浄面の洗浄を行うことを特徴とする塗布器の洗浄方法。 An applicator for cleaning at least a discharge port surface and a surface adjacent thereto (hereinafter collectively referred to as a cleaning surface) of an applicator having a discharge port for discharging a coating liquid extending or arranged in the longitudinal direction. A cleaning method, wherein a cleaning machine having a plurality of cleaning liquid outlets and a gas jetting device having a plurality of gas jets are arranged side by side in the longitudinal direction of the applicator, and the cleaning machine and the gas jetting device are arranged in the longitudinal direction. An applicator for cleaning the cleaning surface by supplying a cleaning liquid from the cleaning machine toward the adjacent surface while scanning, and subsequently ejecting a gas from the gas ejector toward the adjacent surface. Cleaning method. 前記複数の洗浄液流出口及び／または気体噴出口が、千鳥配置されており、少なくとも２つの洗浄液流出口及び／または気体噴出口から洗浄液及び／または気体が、前記隣接面に向けて、異なる吐出角度で吐出されることを特徴とする請求項１に記載の塗布器の洗浄方法。 The plurality of cleaning liquid outlets and / or gas jets are arranged in a staggered manner, and at least two cleaning liquid outlets and / or gas jets, the cleaning liquid and / or gas are discharged at different discharge angles toward the adjacent surface. The method for cleaning an applicator according to claim 1, wherein the applicator is discharged. 前記洗浄機を、洗浄液と気体の両方を同時に吐出しながら、かつ走査方向に対して洗浄液が気体よりも先行して前記塗布器の隣接面に付着するように前記塗布器の長手方向に走査させて洗浄を行う工程を含むことを特徴とする請求項１または２に記載の塗布器の洗浄方法。 The cleaning machine is scanned in the longitudinal direction of the applicator so that the cleaning liquid adheres to the adjacent surface of the applicator in advance of the gas in the scanning direction while discharging both the cleaning liquid and the gas simultaneously. The method for cleaning an applicator according to claim 1, further comprising a step of performing cleaning. 請求項１に記載の前記洗浄機および気体噴出器を用いて塗布器の洗浄面を洗浄してから、塗布器の吐出口から塗布液を吐出し、次いで塗布器の洗浄面に係合する清掃部材を塗布器の長手方向に摺動させて洗浄面の初期化を行い、その後に被塗布部材への塗布を行うことを特徴とする塗布方法。 A cleaning that discharges the coating liquid from the discharge port of the applicator and then engages the cleaning surface of the applicator after cleaning the cleaning surface of the applicator using the cleaning machine and the gas jetting device according to claim 1. An application method comprising: initializing a cleaning surface by sliding a member in a longitudinal direction of an applicator, and thereafter applying to a member to be applied. 長手方向に延在または配列された塗液を吐出する吐出口を具備した塗布器の少なくとも吐出口面およびそれに隣接する面（以下、これを総称して洗浄面という。）を洗浄するために、前記塗布器の長手方向に移動しながら洗浄液を隣接面に供給する複数の洗浄液流出口を有する洗浄機と、気体を噴出する複数の気体噴出口を有する気体噴出器と、を備えた洗浄ヘッドを有する洗浄装置であって、前記洗浄機と気体噴出器は塗布器の長手方向に直列状に並んで配置され、かつ洗浄液と気体が前記隣接面に向けて所定の吐出角度で吐出されるよう前記洗浄液流出口に至る洗浄液流出流路と、気体噴出口に至る気体噴出流路が、吐出角度に応じて水平線に対して傾斜して配置されていることを特徴とする塗布器の洗浄装置。 In order to clean at least a discharge port surface and a surface adjacent thereto (hereinafter collectively referred to as a cleaning surface) of an applicator provided with a discharge port for discharging a coating liquid extending or arranged in the longitudinal direction, A cleaning head comprising: a cleaning machine having a plurality of cleaning liquid outlets for supplying cleaning liquid to an adjacent surface while moving in the longitudinal direction of the applicator; and a gas ejector having a plurality of gas outlets for ejecting gas. The cleaning device and the gas jetting device are arranged in series in the longitudinal direction of the applicator, and the cleaning liquid and the gas are discharged at a predetermined discharge angle toward the adjacent surface. A cleaning device for an applicator, wherein a cleaning liquid outflow passage leading to a cleaning liquid outlet and a gas ejection passage leading to a gas ejection outlet are arranged to be inclined with respect to a horizontal line according to a discharge angle. 前記洗浄液流出口は洗浄機の同一面上で、また前記気体噴出口は気体噴出器の同一面上で、それぞれ複数個長手方向に配置されているとともに、洗浄機と気体噴出器の最下方部に、除去された洗浄液と気体が通過する排出口が長手方向に伸びるように配置されていることを特徴とする請求項５に記載の塗布器の洗浄装置 A plurality of the cleaning liquid outlets are disposed on the same surface of the cleaning machine, and a plurality of the gas outlets are disposed in the longitudinal direction on the same surface of the gas ejector, and the lowermost portion of the cleaning machine and the gas ejector. 6. The applicator cleaning device according to claim 5, wherein a discharge port through which the removed cleaning liquid and gas pass is arranged to extend in the longitudinal direction. 前記複数の洗浄液流出口及び／または気体噴出口が、千鳥配置されており、少なくとも２つの洗浄液流出口及び／または気体噴出口から洗浄液及び／または気体が、前記塗布器の前記隣接面に向けて異なる吐出角度で吐出されるよう、前記洗浄液流出口に至る洗浄液流出流路と、気体噴出口に至る気体噴出流路が、前記吐出角度に応じて水平線に対して傾斜して配置されていることを特徴とする請求項５または６に記載の塗布器の洗浄装置。 The plurality of cleaning liquid outlets and / or gas jets are arranged in a staggered manner, and the cleaning liquid and / or gas is directed from the at least two cleaning liquid outlets and / or gas jets toward the adjacent surface of the applicator. The cleaning liquid outflow passage leading to the cleaning liquid outlet and the gas ejection passage leading to the gas outlet are arranged so as to be inclined with respect to a horizontal line according to the discharge angle so as to be discharged at different discharge angles. The applicator cleaning device according to claim 5 or 6. 前記塗布器の長手方向に直列状に並んで配置された前記洗浄機と気体噴出器が一体に構成され、その間に溝を設けたことを特徴とする請求項５〜７に記載の塗布器の洗浄装置。 The applicator according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the cleaning device and the gas jetting device arranged in series in the longitudinal direction of the applicator are configured integrally, and a groove is provided therebetween. Cleaning device. 前記洗浄液と気体の両方を同時に吐出しながら、かつ走査方向に対して洗浄液が気体よりも先行して前記塗布器の隣接面に付着するように洗浄機と気体噴出器を前記塗布器の長手方向に走査させて洗浄を行わせる制御手段をさらに備えることを特徴とする請求項５〜８に記載の塗布器の洗浄装置。 The longitudinal direction of the applicator is such that both the cleaning liquid and the gas are discharged simultaneously, and the cleaning liquid adheres to the adjacent surface of the applicator before the gas in the scanning direction. The applicator cleaning apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a control unit that causes the scanning to perform cleaning. 塗布液を吐出する吐出口を有する塗布器と、塗布器に塗布液を供給する塗布液供給装置と、被塗布部材を吸着保持する載置台と、塗布器と被塗布部材を相対移動させる移動手段と、を備えた塗布装置であって、さらに請求項５〜９のいずれかに記載の洗浄装置と、該洗浄装置による塗布器の洗浄面の洗浄後に、塗布器の洗浄面に係合する清掃部材を塗布器の長手方向に摺動させて塗布器の洗浄面の初期化を行う拭き取り装置と、を備えたことを特徴とする塗布装置。 An applicator having a discharge port for discharging the coating liquid, a coating liquid supply device for supplying the coating liquid to the coating apparatus, a mounting table for sucking and holding the coated member, and a moving means for relatively moving the coating device and the coated member And a cleaning device that engages with the cleaning surface of the applicator after the cleaning surface of the applicator is cleaned by the cleaning device. And a wiping device for initializing a cleaning surface of the applicator by sliding a member in the longitudinal direction of the applicator. 請求項１から３に記載の塗布器の洗浄方法を用いて液晶ディスプレイ用部材を製造することを特徴とする液晶ディスプレイ用部材の製造方法。 A method for producing a liquid crystal display member, comprising producing a liquid crystal display member using the applicator cleaning method according to claim 1. 請求項４に記載の塗布方法を用いて液晶ディスプレイ用部材を製造することを特徴とする液晶ディスプレイ用部材の製造方法。 A liquid crystal display member is produced using the coating method according to claim 4.
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